Monovarietale “Carboncella”
This “monovarietale” oil is made by pressing a single variety of olive: the Carboncella. This cultivar is becoming rarer all the time partly because it grows very slowly taking many years to begin producing fruit, and also because the olives can only be harvested by hand. The Carboncella is found in central Italy.
Processing:
The production of this type of oil is costly. The Carboncella tree is sensitive to the cold; excessive winter frosts can cause the leaves to fall, slowing down the growth of the tree which is already gradual. Dry summers that cause the premature appearance of the fruit, are also damaging.
Harvesting by modern mechanical methods risks destroying the delicate buds so the olives are picked by hand and the mature olives are very firmly attached to the branches which makes harvesting both slow and expensive.
Despite these considerable disadvantages we have chosen to return to this type of olive tree because the oil it produces is superb: fruity, bitter and sharp, with a wonderful intense green color, rich in polyphenols and chlorophylls.
Use:
The farmers in ancient times called it “The summer oil” because even in June it maintained the taste of freshly pressed olives. Even the smell of this oil is special, with its subtle, fruity aroma. The taste moves from a pronounced pungent to sweet and ends with an aftertaste of bitter almonds. It is worthwhile remembering the basic rule for taste combinations: delicate flavors are best accompanied by delicate oils, whereas strong flavors require robust, more decisive oils. The Carboncella oil has quite a fruity taste and so would be ideal with strong flavored foods such as red meat, game and soups.
Best for anyone who enjoys the intense aroma of oil in all dishes.