OLIVE OIL HAS LONG BEEN more than just food to the people of the Mediterranean. It has been used for medicinal purposes, and it has been symbol of wealth and power. In ancient times, the olive tree was the abundance and glory. Olive crowns were placed on the heads of the victorious at the Olympic games, and they received their prize in oil
OLIVE TREES WERE FIRST CULTIVATED in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and they spread all they spread all over the region. The writings of the poet Homer mention olives and prove that olive tree has been growing in Greece for over 10,000 years. The olive tree was considered sacred and was valuable. Under ancient Greek law, anyone who was found guilty of uprooting or destroying an olive tree could be sentenced to death.
An ancient king of Israel, King David, even had guards watching over the olive groves and warehouses to ensure the safety of the tree and their precious oil.
WITH THE EXPANSION OF GREEK COLONIES, olive culture reached southern Italy and northern Africa in the eighth century B.C. and then spread into southern France. Olive trees were planted throughout the entire Mediterranean basin under Roman rule. In ancient Greece and Rome, olive oil was a valuable trading commodity. Ships were built for the sole purpose of transporting it from Greece to trading posts around the mediterranean.
OLIVE TREES HAVE GREAT RESISTANCE to disease and can endure harsher weather conditions than many other fruits of the Mediterranean region. It is true, however, that temperate climates, characterized by warm, dry summers and rainy winters, favor good harvests. according to Italian folk tradition, there are five factors that create the ideal conditions for the olive tree : sun, stone, drought, silence, and solitude. Italy and Spain are now the world's biggest producers of olive oil. There are about thirty varieties of olives growing in Italy today, and each yields an oil with its own unique characteristics.
OLIVE OIL IS VERY HEALTHY and contributes to a great extent to the healthy diet of the Mediterranean people. Extra-virgin olive oil is the most digestible of the edible fats: it helps our bodies absorb vitamins A,D, and K, it contains essential acids that cannot be produced by our own bodies, it slows down the aging process, and it helps bile, liver, and intestinal functions. It is also valued for its culinary virtues. No other cooking oil can compare to the flavor, bouquet, and color of olive oil.