TASTING OLIVE OIL
Tasting olive oil is a particular practice and like any food tasting it has its own traditions and laws.
It is best to taste the oil in a previously heated glass as a slight heating helps in the development of the aromas. For this reason, you place the glass on the palm of your hand and rotate it on it using the other hand, flat above the rim.
With these premises it will be possible to notice the fruity, fragrant and enchanting scent and it will be possible to understand if the oil is recently produced.
Then we move on to tasting. In the mouth the oil will offer its aromas: if the oil is sweet, it can be felt on the tip of the tongue, the sides of the tongue help to perceive the bitterness, while the spiciness can be felt at the bottom of the oral cavity.
Liguria has always been one of the most popular regions for the production of olive oil. Particularly in Western Liguria we talk about the Taggiasca olive, whose area includes the province of Imperia and a part of that of Savona.
Taggiasca extra virgin olive oil is a highly pure oil with low acidity, which has its strong point in its delicacy. The color varies from yellow to green and the flavor is pleasantly delicate and fruity, with a sweet and slightly spicy sensation. It has a fruity odor of medium to light intensity, over which the scent of artichoke and the light hint of almond prevail. It goes well with sautéed fish-based sauces, fried foods, boiled white fish, grilled fish and salads based on lettuce, gentle or lamb’s lettuce.
Alassio, which is not just a sea and beach destination, also offers the possibility of tasting oil and derived products. In fact, we recommend that you pay a visit during your stay to the Frantoio Armato, only a quarter of an hour’s walk from the Hotel.
FRANTOIO DI ALDO ARMATO
The roots of the Armato company lie in the upper valley of the Merula stream, in the hinterland of Andora, precisely in Stellanello. Here, about 400 meters above sea level, the Armato family owned olive groves of great value and for generations they dedicated themselves to the production of extra virgin olive oil.
From a date found imprinted in an ancient press, 1871, it can be deduced that for at least 150 years the Armato family has continued this tradition uninterruptedly and, thanks to the fortunate exposure and the presence of important aquifers, these lands guarantee the perfect nourishment for a superior quality.
If the olive groves remained on those same hills, the marble mill was instead moved to Alassio in 1968 and has remained there until today where it continues to diligently carry out its task.
It is no longer moved by mules and it has been automated, but it is that same stone that reduces the pulp and stone of the Taggiasca to a pulp, which then passes into the dispenser, the press and the separator and through cold pressing gives one of the best possible products for our tables.
Other oil mills that we recommend visiting are located in nearby Albenga, for example Azienda Sommariva, Antico Frantoio Garello e Frantoio Marco.
Happy tasting!
Hotel Ligure