I thought it a relish, a condiment, the perfect complement to something shaken not stirred even a vegetable, but a fruit, no. I learned this fact while standing in front of an olive tree in Casabermeja, Spain on an olive and almond farm called Molino Del Hortelano. (Molino means mill, so it is the Hortelano Mill. Hotelano is the nickname of the Juan’s grandfather. I think it means gardener or small farmer). This farm produces organic extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). A very excellent olive oil. I sought it out.
Molino Del Hortelano in the low mountains of Andalucía region, Southern Spain. A region that is covered in olive, almond, and orange trees. Along with checkered board fields growing a host of farm to table goodness. Certainly, this stop was the highlight of a trip full of highlights. I recommend it for olive oil lovers and those who have an appreciation for those with a passion for what they do.
Juan Cabello Bravo is the master of this fine organic oil. He is a young man with a big passion. His olive oil has won double gold in Spain’s olive oil competition. A testament to his commitment to make the very highest quality olive oil possible. Word is getting around, too. While I was there a box truck was picking up cases of his EVOO to be used in a restaurant in France. The farm has been in his family one way or the other for over 300 years. Not always as an olive oil mill, somethings as a vineyard, sometimes as a goat farm. The enthusiasm the genuine interest in an ancient process, modernized but with such detailed care for the product. It is a way of life, a way of giving a precious commodity to care with such detail and precise tenacity for the correctness of a process. Something a Double gold medal would know something about. And he has managed this in a short six years.
The trip to Molino Del Hortelano, started in Malaga, where I was sharing an Air B&B with good friends. A condo with a balcony facing the Mediterranean Sea, some 200 yards from the beach. Nice. I had checked on ways to get to the farm. Train, bus, rental car. In the end a taxi won out. Got a half price fare using MyTaxi. The good news when the taxi arrived, Bernardo, the driver knew exactly where we were going. “Juan is my Friend,” he declared. That made me very happy. It saved a phone call to Juan to give the driver directions. The trip was over 30 km (around 19 miles). But the last couple of km were memorable as we went from a four-lane highway, to the village of Casabermeja with paved two lane roads to gravel roads with hairpin curves, no railing and a fantastic view of the drop off below. The farm is in the Malaga Mountains and it was pretty close to the top. I would have been hard pressed to find it on my own. Thank goodness for Bernardo.
Olive oil is made from the green unripen olives. Seeds, skins, meat all crushed to make a mesh that produces a “juice”. To be quite honest I thought the olives where pitted and allowed to ripened before they were ready for making oil. From the “juice” tiny droplets of oil are cold pressed, making the EVOO. The leftover mesh is saved and sold to other olive oil mills. They do a second pressing to extract the rest of the oil, but it can’t be called extra virgin, just olive oil. This olive oil is usually mixed with other oils. It has a higher smoke point and is usually used in high heat cooking.
I asked to taste an olive from the tree. The ones that are used in making oil. I asked if you can eat them off the tree, Juan said, “Yes, but they are very bitter. You are welcomed to try.” I did. When I first bit into the olive it was very firm with a grassy tasty, then the bitterness hit the front of my tongue, got down in my gut and stirred up some unease. I chewed it, swallowed it. I am glad I did, because later when allowed to taste the oil, the difference was astounding. I tasted that green olive and then a peppery flavor went down my throat. It was delightful. It was difficult to believe that the greenish liquid I was tasting came from that hard, bitter olive.
Juan keeps his facility spotless. Only olives from the trees are used in making the oil. If the olives are on the ground that is where they are left. Any variance from the ones gathered from the trees may cause a change in the flavor.
There are over 2,000 different species of olives, which offer a huge variety of flavors and taste. On Juan’s 60 acre farm one of the olives he uses is the picudo. As Juan was telling us about the different olives his face lite up and said that you must see the tree that was probably the mother of all the picudo olive trees in this region. “I do not own this tree. I rent it from my neighbor. He won’t sell it to me, but at least he lets me rent it. It is the best. My gold award olive oil comes from that tree. We had it tested by the university. They claim that it is at least 1200 years old and may be as old as 1800 years old. It is a wonder.” Once again we turned to Bernardo, because he also knew where this tree was.
As Flora, Bernardo and I were preparing to leave Molino del Hortelano, Juan stood in the doorway of the hacienda with his mother. She was beaming. She is very proud of her son. And rightly so. Youthful, lovely and glowing, Juan said that his mother believes in his product, she consumes it and uses it on her skin. It shows!
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| Juan and his mom! |
And here is that magnificent tree. It is one tree with three trunks. A living tree still producing award winning olive oil. I am so glad that I got to see this tree.
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| The 1200 plus year-old olive tree. |
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| This is Bernardo! |
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| Flora and me in totally aw of this amazing tree! |
http://molinodelhortelano.com
Quote for the day:
You gotta have good olive oil. You should have a cooking olive oil and you should have a finishing olive oil, like an extra-virgin olive oil. Emeril Lagasse
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