OLIVA OIL.. EXTRA VIRGIN!!

     The olive was native to Asia Minor and spread from Iran, Syria and Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean basin 6,000 years ago. It is among the oldest known cultivated trees in the world, being grown before the written language was invented. It was being grown on Crete by 3,000 BC and may have been the source of the wealth of the Minoan kingdom. The Phoenicians spread the olive to the Mediterranean shores of Africa and Southern Europe. Olives have been found in Egyptian tombs from 2,000 years BC. The olive culture was spread to the early Greeks then Romans. As the Romans extended their domain they brought the olive with them.

Olive oil was used for variety of purposes, including lamp fuel, pharmaceutical ointment and in rituals for anointing royalty, warriors and others. The term "messiah", used in many Mediterranean-based religions, means "the anointed one", perhaps referring to an olive oil-based ritual. Cooking with olive oil may not have been a purpose for the original domestication, but it began at least as long ago as the 5th-4th century BC.

Throughout the various civilizations, the olive tree and olive oil have occupied pivotal positions in the agricultural economy of Mediterranean countries and in their commerce with neighbouring populations. The Minoans of Crete were among the first cultures to achieve prosperity on olive oil, and Crete continues to be an important olive production area to the present day.

There are many different kinds of olive varieties from which oil can be produced, and each brings a unique flavor and quality to the oil. Olive oils described as ‘virgin’ are those that have been obtained from the original fruit without having been synthetically treated. Once the olives have been picked, pressed, and washed, no other process has taken place other than decantation, and centrifugation to extract the oil, and filtration.

Extra virgin is the highest quality and most flavorful olive oil classification. In chemical terms it is described as having a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams. It must be produced entirely by mechanical means without the use of any solvents, and under temperatures that will not degrade the oil (less than 86°F, 30°C).

The wonderful flavours of olive oil are what set it apart from all other vegetable and seed oils.

Try this amazing product made by a BIO Farm, Agricola Persiani. 

Atri, AbruzzI. ITALY

The Company is located in the outskirts of Atri, in San Martino, behind Gran Sasso’s peaks and facing the Adriatic Sea. The location, the soil and the climate make these hills  particularly suited to grow olive trees. The company reaches today an area of 20 hectares in which there are 6000 ca. olive trees of the main native cultivars.

The Persiani’s Company uses natural Organic fertilizers; no fertilizers or chemical treatments are ever used. Persiani is equipped with a modern oil mill in a continuous cicle.

Close your Eyes and Dream...

http://www.italysustainabletravel.com/#!persiani-bio-oil-of-olive/cok0 

AGRITURISMO CIGNALE, PENNE (PE), ABRUZZI

LINK

MAP

The strong connection with their land, the passion for the nature and the constant research aimed to enhance - in an useful way for oneself and for the others - the one’s own lifestyle, are all elements that have led Massimo, Andrea and Rita Mariani to greater together different and particular experiences in order to realize their ambitious project.  

This project is aimed at valuing the countryside in all its aspects through, for example, the excellent and organic production of legumes, cereals and vegetables, or through the careful selection of olive oils in purity, but also by giving the opportunity of tasting various delicacies in loco.

The adoption of techniques related to the geothermal science or the garden made by following the Pejrone’s model are only few examples of how the Agriturismo “Il Cignale”, interesting example of an ancient recovered farmhouse, succeeds in the challenge of making every innovation functional to the preservation and the enhancement of the landscape.

KECHLER FARM, FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

 LINK

MAP

The Kechler Farm was founded by my great grandfather in San Martino di Codroipo, near Udine, in the mid-1800s. Recently, the management was entrusted to an administrator and the grape was brought into the Cantina Sociale (cooperative winery) in Bertiolo.

I always had a dream: to have a cellar like the one my family once ran in the barn of the Villa Kechler and to personally follow all stages of wine production, from the vineyard to the table, without any intermediary other than the sharing of knowledge and the participation of the local community, that owns the culture of the land.

In 2006, having completed the recovery and enhancement work of an old abandoned barn, renovated in stone and brick using the area traditional methods, the Kechler Winery was born.

Of the 25 acres of vineyards only five, during ripening, are selected by me and the oenologist Fabio Coser and they are hand-harvested to always ensure a quality product. The cultivated varieties are Merlot, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Friulano, Carmenere and Pinot Grigio.

The same love and the same passion I dedicate to produce the Extra Virgin Olive Oil that I produce in a DOP area in Umbria. The 20 acres olive grove is traditionally managed in full compliance with the current environmental measures, and allowed to grow as nature intended and treated only with Bordeaux mixture.

The olives are hand-picked by my family before being fully ripe and worked within the day to keep intact the organoleptic properties of the olive. The cultivated varieties are: Moraiolo, Leccio the Horn, Maurino and Frantoio.

SIRIGNANO WINE RESORT, SICILY

LINK

MAP

The ‘Sirignano Wine Resort’ farm holidays is located in the Belice Valley, in the heart of the estate of the family of the De Gregorio Marquises. 

It takes its name after the ancient ‘Baglio’ of Sirignano (belonging to the family since 1730), a typical building of feudal Sicily which consisted of a farm with a large courtyard inhabited by the landowners and by the peasants who worked on it.

This place was once a village, with the main house, the school, the church and the houses of the peasants. Following the terrible earthquake of 1968, the land was abandoned, only the Carabinieri barrack survived, continuing to control the Marquises’ estates until 1978.

In this fertile environment, the De Gregorio family cultivates vines and olive trees, today who is running the company is Massimo, he follows with care and discipline the entire production chain, thanks to him since 2000 the company has been 100% organic certified.

Buttonhole is the historic Wine Cellar realized in the second half of the 800s: it is located in the basement of the building and enjoys climatic conditions of perfect thermal insulation all year round, due to the ancient woodland that surrounds it and to its exposure to North: it is here that the DOC and IGT wines of the De Gregorio Marquises are produced.

Since some years it is also possible to overnight: simple, but elegant, the’ Sirignano Wine Resort’ offers comfort and relax in comfortable rooms and a fine cuisine offered in the restaurant.

C + Ͻ , CAGLIARI, SARDINIA

LINK

MAP

Our Laboratory  located in Cagliari (in Sardinia), in the historical Villanova area, is where we design and create our hand made bags, and where we continue to experiment and evolve our ideas for our designs and the materials we use.

We are committed to safeguarding the rich Sardinian tradition of textile making - still in practice in
Samugheo, a small village in the middle of the island - but our concept is to reinterpret the traditional into design led pieces combining ancient wisdom and contemporary aesthetics.

All our bags are individually handmade using mostly a variety of different wool fabrics, all originating from Sardinian sheep and crafted according to local traditions, (which we alternate with velvets, wool/cotton blends and linens according to the season), with an added modern twist, weaving together traditional textiles with today's materials.

Inspired by the island of Sardinia, our color palette ranges from shades of black, grey, brown and cream for our Winter collections, to a freer, softer look for Summer, muting from white to grey with the occasional dash of vibrant color in total contrast.

Influenced by the Sardinian landscape, the color palette is black, black with white, grey and chocolate brown.

in soft shades of white, cream and grey, with the occasional dash of strong color.

BROZZU BIO ORGANIC FARM - BIO OLIVE OIL MELIDDU

LINK

MAP

The bio-organic BROZZU farm was founded in 1981 buy Giuseppe Brozzu, with the aim to produce high quality, organic wine and olive oil.

First introduced to agriculture by his father and later his uncle, Giuseppe decided to continue with the family agricultural tradition by introducing different types of olive trees in order to identify which would better respond to the local climate and landscape.

The "Bosana" variety was eventually chosen ( Brozzu now grows over 7000 olive trees, distributed over 30 hectares of land, predicted to produce 30 to 35.000 kg of olive oil per year ) for its superb olive oil, characterized by a strong, distinctive aroma and by a high concentration of poliphenols, which naturally ensure the product's longevity and preservation.

Brozzu does not make use of pesticides or chemicals in fertilizers, instead opting for the technique of "sovescio", whereby natural ingredients from legumes and other plants are used to fertilize the ground.

Equal eco-friendly measures are practiced in the olive groves, where the "olive fly" (bactrocera oleae), is kept under control with Eco Traps and natural products.

The company is certified organic UNI EN ISO 22005:2008 and the product is listed in the Slow Food guide to the best extra virgin olive oils.

Located in Castelsardo, in Sardinia, and distancing only 20 kilometers from the sea, Brozzu is set in an ideal position, benefiting from the local climate of salt and sea breezes in an area enriched by a well preserved culture of local peasant agricultural wisdom - making the marriage between the old and the new a possibility by transporting traditions into modern sustainable thinking.

Persiani's Company - Bio native Olive Oil

LINK

MAP

The Persiani’s Company is a miracle made possible by a great passion: Mattia Persiani, professor of Law at the University of Rome, buys in Atri (Abruzzi, Italy) a land property in 1976. 

The property hosts a main house and has a large garden, a swimming pool, olive trees and fruit trees.

Mattia Persiani, thanks to scientific rationality and with the participation of his wife Helvia, born in Atri, has developed a sophisticated entrepreneurship developing high-quality agriculture, respectful of  the environment and traditions but also open to innovation.

The Company is located in the outskirts of Atri, in San Martino, behind Gran Sasso’s peaks and facing the Adriatic Sea.

The location, the soil and the climate make these hills  particularly suited to grow olive trees. The company reaches today an area of ​​20 hectares in which there are 6000 ca. olive trees of the main native cultivars.

The Persiani’s Company uses natural Organic fertilizers; no fertilizers or chemical treatments are ever used. Persiani is equipped with a modern oil mill in a continuous cicle.

The " St. Martin Bio Oil " is carefully prepared, respecting the natural cycle of growth and harvest: from the tree to the olive harvest, then to the grinding  in the stainless steel tanks with nitrogen and finally the bottling, all this  is make in the company!
The oil is a product of high quality which has been awarded prizes in Italy and abroad.

On the property there are three well decorated and stylish apartments for guests who seek tranquility in nature.

ATRI is a small town with an historical center, rich in history and art is only 6 km away and 11km from Adriatic coast.

TEXTILE COOPERATIVE SU MARMURI

LINK

MAP

The Textile Cooperative Su Marmuri was founded in 1971. Its aim is to preserve the textile traditions of Ulassai  Village; it is the longest running Women's Cooperative of Sardinia.

The artifacts are made with the weaving technique called "a Pibionis" (grapes), whose names comes  from the characteristic embroidery design. The focus has always been to produce textiles with very high quality standards, paying particular attention to the fineness of the materials and the subtlety of the combs.

Each garment, highly crafted, is made with locally found natural materials: Sardinian sheep wool, linen, cotton, hemp and silk.

The variety of the production is very wide; it includes carpets tuttopieno and semipieno , bedspreads, curtains, tablecloths, towels etc etc….

The patterns of the textiles come either from the wide repertoire of ancient textile Sardinian tradition or from the creativity of local artists, among whom the great Maria Lai, who are developing new patterns  starting from their own decorative tradition. In the case of Cooperative Textile Su Marmuri tradition and innovation are working together towards a new rise of Sardinian contemporary arts and crafts.