Oil In Three Parts

This is a post of three parts, all related by olive oil.

Part 1 – An oil related tour

There is a Frantoi Aperti (Olive Mills Are Open) event on 7th and 8th of November in Loreto Aprutino (PE). The programme of events is outlined on this poster. (Click the image to enlarge.)

It includes (assuming my Italian hasn’t let me down):

• A visit to an olive farm
• A guided visit to an olive mill
• A visit to the historical centre of Loreto Aprutino and the historic Olive Oil Museum
• A visit to the Oil Art and History Museum
• Oil tasting
• Tasting and matching of traditional food and oil

Groups are limited to 18 persons and the tour takes 3 hours leaving at various times (see the poster for details). All of this for only €5!

Unfortunately I can’t go, but I’ve been to the Oil Museum before and that brings me on to part 2.

Part 2 – Oil Museum Loreto Aprutino (Museo dell’Olio Loreto Aprutino)

I’ve tried a few times to get into the Oil Museum but each time I tried it was closed. I finally managed it a few weeks ago. I was spurred on after reading an excellent post Worth A Drizzle from the Life In Abruzzo website.

I think the real reason I never successfully got to see the inside of the museum until now was my Italian let me down. I didn’t realise that I had to visit the Acerbo Museum of Castelli Ceramics first and request a tour. The really silly thing  is that this is clearly indicated on notices in Italian and English – duh!

Anyway this time I succeeded and I was given a tour by Paola. She spoke excellent English, far better than my Italian, and was able to give me a sense of history and progress that was simply fascinating. The museum is linked with one of the great names of Loreto Oil production, Raffaele Baldini Palladini. I was surprised to learn that some of the equipment was designed by Corradino D’Ascanio, the man responsible for the Vespa, the Ape and some early helicopters.

This tour normally costs €6 but it looks like it is part of the overall Frantoi Aperti tour for €5. Since I thought the tour on its own was well worth €6 that makes me think the Frantoi Aperti tour is really great value.

Part 3 – The Oil (L’Olio)

I’m spoiled! I’ve tasted olive oil from Abruzzo and in particular from Loreto Aprutino and now I want to use nothing else. On returning to Ireland after my last visit I managed to bring 5 litres of olive oil in my suitcase! Three litres of it was newly pressed oil from Di Simone and 2 litres was Feronia from Società Cooperativa Agricola Loretana (S.C.A.L.). Oil from Abruzzo is fantastic, but freshly pressed olive oil is magical.

I haven’t tasted oil from all the producers around Loreto, only from about three or four. I’m most familiar with oil from Di Simone, S.C.A.L (Feronia) and Cerretani. I could drizzle (pour) these oils over bread and be very happy indeed. The oils are very low in acidity, yellow-green to green in colour and have a medium fruity taste. I prefer oils that aren’t overly fruity so these are perfect.

If you can read Italian the Ottobre-Dicembre 2007 edition of Tesori d’Abruzzo is dedicated to the centres of oil production in Abruzzo. Although it’s two years since it was on sale, it may be possible to get a copy by contacting the publisher. It not only covers Loreto Aprutino (and the Oil Museum) but it discusses the other main oil centres throughout Abruzzo’s four provinces:

Atri (Teramo)
Casoli (Chieti)
Citta Sat’Angelo (Pescara)
Corfinio (Aquila)
Fossacesia (Chieti)
Loreto Aprutino (Pescara)
Morrro d’Oro (Teramo)
Moscufo (Pescara)
Pettorano sul Gizio (Aquila)
Pianella (Pescara)
Rocca San Giovani (Chieti)
San Vincenzo in Valle Roveto (Aquila)
Tocca da Casauria (Pescara)
Vasto (Chieti)

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