Homemade olive oil is an incredibly valuable product that is perfectly absorbed by our body. Its uniqueness lies not only in the exceptional benefits of natural components, but also in the positive energy, the oily substance that is transmitted when it comes in contact with the living warmth of human hands, and not with soulless mechanisms.
Ancient method of producing oil
The technology of home processing of ripe olives has been worked out to the smallest detail for many centuries in the places of their mass growth: the countries of the Mediterranean, in Iran and India, in Georgia and Abkhazia, in some other regions. Now it is becoming increasingly rare, as it requires a lot of work. Many farmers prefer to hand over the grown crop to automatic oil mills. The more unique is the oil, pressed in small places, surrounded by olive groves, where they still use wooden or stone devices.
- Freshly harvested olives are ground into a homogeneous mass with the help of stone millstones.
- During the spinning process, liquid containing precious oil is separated from this porridge.
- It is collected in special containers, where it is allowed to settle for several hours. At the same time, the oil component floats to the surface, from where it is collected by special scoops.
- The first-pressed oil is an incredibly powerful drug, so after filtration it is carefully collected and used only after the final maturation, after a month or a half.
- The remaining mass is collected in canvas bags and squeezed again, placing it under the oppression. To speed up the process, the load is heated with hot water.
- The second spin oil is suitable only for cooking or technical purposes.
Can I get my own olive oil?
If you have at your disposal several olive trees that regularly produce crops, then you can try to squeeze the oil out of their fruits.
True, most experts in one voice say that at home it is impossible to obtain high-quality olive oil, because the technology is too complicated and requires special equipment. However, true enthusiasm can work wonders! If you have at your disposal several kilograms of freshly harvested fruits of the olive tree, be sure to try to get your own, truly eco-friendly, tasty and truly healing product.
- To get high-quality oil, you should use only freshly picked olives. After a day of storage, the fruits become unsuitable for processing, as they are highly oxidized.
- To obtain significant volumes of oil it is better to use a special press. After all, to squeeze at least a liter, it is necessary to process almost 5 kg of fruit. If you have very few fresh olives, you can use the juicer.
- Harvesting begins when the olives begin to darken, that is, ripen. The easiest way is to lay sacking under the tree and shake off the fruit on it, tapping it on the tree. However, this method may damage the plant and litter the raw material, so it is used for large volumes. Much more valuable oil, pressed from olives harvested by hand, using a special "comb".
- Ready-made raw materials must be picked out, removing diseased fruits and debris. Then from olives remove bones.
- The juice from the fruit mashed into mush is carefully collected in a container, where it is left to stand for several hours, and then carefully remove the upper, oily layer with a ladle.
- The oil collected in bottles or jugs must be in a dark place for at least one month. After this time, it will be suitable for use for medicinal and culinary purposes, since it will significantly lose bitterness.
- Waste remaining after pressing can be used in salads or re-get oil from them, putting it under pressure.
- Based on the finished oil, you can make cosmetics or a flavored product. To do this, add the appropriate ingredients to the oil, insisting with them an oily substance for at least a week.
- Various spices or aromatic herbs, such as rosemary or basil, are suitable for culinary purposes. Oil is well combined with garlic, bay leaf or hot pepper. A mixture of wine or balsamic vinegar is a classic dressing for many salads.
- Useful herbs or lemon juice are added to the oil for use as a cosmetic.
If you fail if you try to squeeze the oil on your own, do not be upset. Nowadays, any supermarket offers olive oil from various manufacturers and degrees of extraction. Choose on the shelf is not the cheapest, but the most useful option - a bottle with the words “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”.
