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It is no longer a secret that extra virgin olive oil is considered a "superfood" that can contribute to a longer life when consumed as part of a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, aiding in the prevention of certain diseases. In recent years, scientific studies specifically focusing on various forms of dementia and Alzheimer's have empha...

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Olive trees have defined Italian landscapes, culture, and cuisine for thousands of years. With nearly eight hundred native cultivars, the appearance of the trees and the characteristics of their olives vary widely from one region to the next. This breathtaking biodiversity is part of what makes Italian olive oil so extraordinary. It may also be wha...

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Italian olive oil’s culinary crown jewels shine from a mix of tradition, geography, and dedicated craftsmanship. Centuries of olive cultivation have led to diverse, flavorful varieties specific to different regions, each boasting unique aromas and tastes. From the grassy notes of Ligurian oil to the peppery warmth of Sicilian, these regionally dist...

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On a warm, blustery December afternoon outside the De Laurentis olive oil-producing co-op in the white hilltop town of Ostuni, Puglia, Luigi D'Amico holds out his palm, revealing an olive picked earlier in the day. Instead of resembling the plump, gleaming green and black fruit overflowing in bins around him, this one is half-consumed, dry and shru...

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In his forty-five years as an importer, John J. Profaci has witnessed first-hand the meteoric rise of the olive oil category in the United States. “As soon as I start talking about the industry, my memory starts reflecting back on all the things that have gone by,” he told Olive Oil Times publisher Curtis Cord in an exclusive interview. “And I’m am...

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Sicilian extra virgin olive oil is once again confirmed as the best in the world. This was decreed by the prestigious international Olio Nuovo Days competition, held recently in Paris. Winning first prize as the best extra virgin oil in the competition was the Magihouse Valle dell'Inferno - Family Reserve from the Marino-Giambrone company of Cammar...

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Henceforth, a singular label will distinguish all bottles of Olio di Calabria PGI, marking a pivotal achievement for the Consortium for the Protection of Calabrian olive oil, the Italian Southern region as a whole, and its olive oil producers. The strategic employment of this distinct label is poised to yield substantial advantages by steering cons...

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“Bella di Cerignola” olives have been cultivated since time immemorial. Some believe that they come from the “Orchites” olives of the Romans, others believe they were introduced from Spain before 1400 AD. However, since there is no evidence of them among native Spanish varieties, they should be considered a native variety of Cerignola in ancient Da...

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The best time of year in Tuscany? The October weeks of the olive oil harvest. At any time, small Tuscan towns have a sense of community but during this season, the festivities triple, jovial arguments ensue over whose oil is best, the tastings seem endless at neighbors’ houses, and at home, there’s just the plain joy of welcoming this year’s olio n...

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At the end of my first day harvesting olives in southern Italy, I cried. What was I possibly thinking, flying 6,400 miles from San Francisco to Bari, Italy, in late fall to engage in two full weeks of manual labor? I’d just spent eight hours laying down large green nets beneath rows of trees and raking olives off their branches from the moment the...

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