I feel so blessed that through Experience Sicily I have the privilege to work with and know some extraordinary women! Firstly, thanks go to Kathy Murray for inviting her outstanding friends to her New York City home and hosting last night’s private event. Secondly, but equally important, thanks go to Annalisa Pompeo of GoSicily Sicilian…
Tag: olive oil
Old Fashioned Olive Press In Sicily
At last year’s Presepe Vivente (Living Nativity scene) in Custonaci, Sicily, they presented an old fashioned olive press. For this antique method, ripe olives were placed in the round, stone trough, the horse was attached to the wooden beam, and when he walked in a circle, he pulled the round, upright stone press that crushed…
How To Catch Olives
Yes, those are nets. He’s preparing them for the olive harvest. The farmers lay these nets on the ground below the olive trees and, if done in the traditional way with their hands and might, they shake the trees and with their fingers prompt the olives to fall to the ground, catching them in the…
The Olive Report, Part 2
This is Part 2 of your olive report! On Monday, the team at Agriturismo Villa Cefalà was preparing the nets for the olive harvest. A week after the photo for Part 1 was taken, the fruit looked a bit more plump.
Our Hearts Are Warmed
We stopped for lunch at one of my “homes” in Sicily, Case di Latomie, where my dear friend Sebastiano Chiofalo of GelsominoImports.com hosted us among the olive trees. Sicilian hospitality continues to amaze me and warm my heart. Thank you to chef Francesco Gallo for a remarkable lunch! From left to right, Jennifer Bowen, Nola Bee, Allison…
Press It Good
In Sicily, the olive harvest for making olive oil is in full swing right now. Today, it is a highly technical process with stainless steel equipment exploited in squeaky clean, laboratory-type workshops. Before the modern press, this block of limestone, as one example, was the base of an olive mill. Imagine a series of wheel-shaped…
Emeralds or Olives
Who needs emeralds when you can have Nocellara del Belice olives? On Day 3 of Savoring Sicily (our Sept. 22 – Oct. 4, small-group tour), we’ll have lunch at this working olive farm, where you’ll be surrounded by the Centonze family jewels. But, not only lunch. We’ll also have the benefit of the owner taking…
Hand Picked
Olives are ready to be harvested in October and November. In early October, farmers pick them for eating. Now, at the end of October and into November, they pick them to make olive oil. These beautiful Nocellara del Belice variety of olives from Castelvetrano are picked by hand in order to best preserve the integrity…
It’s Time to Make the Oil
It’s olive oil making time! This gorgeous extra virgin olive oil pictured is from the Nocellara del Belice variety of olives, grown in Castelvetrano, Sicily. What you see here is oil being pressed for Olio Centonze, which is sold in the United States by Gelsomino Imports, LLC. This photo was taken earlier this week by…
Cast the nets!
The olive harvest is on! What we learned on our tour is that there are two phases of the olive harvest: the first round is for olives that are to be eaten; the second round, which takes place generally in late October/early November (depends on the climate-location of the trees), is for producing oil.