Best Calabrian Oil and Animal Fat Types
Produced in the entire region of Calabria, this extra virgin olive oil has a slightly bitter and spicy taste and it is characterized by an intense golden yellow to green color and a fruity aroma exuding the scent of ripe olives. Olio di Calabria is obtained from Carolea olives which are harvested by hand and pressed in a traditional cold mill or a continuous cycle oil mill.
The unique nature of this oil is represented by the superior quality and diversity of its properties, depending on the area where the olives are grown and the oil is produced.
Pressed from the Carolea olive variety, which accounts for the largest part of at least 90%, the extra virgin olive oil Lametia is produced only in the Calabrian province of Catanzaro, particularly along the coastal strip surrounding the Gulf of St. Eufemia, in nine small towns settled around the Tyrrhenian seaside resort of Lamezia Terme.
According to production regulations for Lametia, the olives must be harvested from the time they change color until no later than January 15th of the following year and its acidity expressed in oleic acid may only contain 0.5g per 100g of oil. This Calabrian oil has a yellow to greenish color and a peppery taste with bitter notes, characteristic for early harvest oils such as Lametia.
The origins of the extra virgin olive oil Bruzio have been traced back to the time of Ancient Greece when the olive was first introduced to the province of Cosenza (Cosentia). Named after an ancient Tuscan-speaking tribe of Bruzi (Bruttii) that settled there in the 4th century BCE, to this day it is produced within this specific geographical area and marketed as Bruzio D.
O.P. Fascia Prepollinica, Valle Crati, Colline Joniche Presilane and Sibaritide. This prized Calabrian oil is obtained from the olive varieties of Tondina, Rossanese, Carolea and Grossa di Cassano. It has an intense yellow color with a green hue, and a light, fruity flavor with a hint of bitterness.
Locride extra virgin olive oil made primarily from the Grossa di Gerace cultivar, this high-quality oil is celebrated for its strong fruity flavor and delicate, unmistakable aroma. The oil’s color varies from dark green when harvested in November to green-gold or yellow-gold in the later months of December and January.
Harvesting is performed both manually and with tools like flexible poles, and the olives are processed promptly at local mills to preserve their rich organoleptic properties. Locride olive oil is integral to Calabrian and Mediterranean cuisine, known for its use in salads, vegetables, and traditional dishes.
The extra virgin olive oil Alto Crotonese is a top quality oil made by pressing olives of the Carolea variety, the content of which must not be less than 70%, while the remaining 30% comes from olive varieties of Pennulara, Borgese, Leccino, Tonda Strongoli and Rossanese; used separately or combined.
Alto Crotonese oil is produced in the Province of Crotone, the easternmost part of Calabria. Deep golden yellow in color with a green hue, this oil has a delicate flavor of medium intensity; it is fruity yet with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Alto Crotonese has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.7g per 100g of product, which together with other characteristics makes it one of the lightest oils of Calabria.
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