Artisan extra virgin olive oil is obtained using traditional methods in Puglia from the Schirinzi Oil Mill
Many traditional culinary products are confusing, and among the foods that generate the most perplexity is oil. Today, we aim to understand what artisan oil is.
How to recognize artisan oil
When we talk about artisanal products, we usually refer to handmade items, but it is evident that you cannot make oil by hand. In this context, artisan oil refers to a product made through a controlled supply chain, using selected and traceable raw materials, with cold extraction methods, bottled at the site where the milling took place.
How can you distinguish artisan oil from a non-artisan product? In most cases, it is sufficient to look at the label. When you go to the supermarket and head to the oil shelf, you will notice that the labels state “blend of community oils.” This means it is a mix of oils from different locations that are subsequently blended. In this case, the supply chain is not controlled, making it impossible to trace back to the exact production area, and it may mix high-quality products with low-quality ones. Moreover, it is possible that oils from previous harvests are stored in barrels; indeed, the expiration date on the label refers to the bottling date and not the production date. This has significant consequences because it is well-known that oil loses its nutritional qualities after one year; it doesn’t become bad oil but simply lacks the characteristics of fresh oil.
How to produce good oil
In producing good artisan extra virgin olive oil, the quality of the raw material is very important, but also the work of the miller, who must know the “craft” well to set the processing parameters based on the olive variety, the harvest year, and the olive characteristics. Obviously, no chemical enzymes or other additives aimed at improving yield should be added. The miller must also ensure that the temperature of the olive paste from which the oil is extracted does not exceed 27°C, as required by industry regulations.
It is important to emphasize that you will never find artisan oil in a clear glass bottle, nor in clear glass containers of 5/10 liters. Why? Simply because artisan olive oil without preservatives loses its properties, including taste and aroma, if exposed to light. Therefore, no producer who markets a quality product would be so negligent as to bottle oil in plastic or clear glass. You can find artisan oil in small bottles of 750 ml or one liter, in dark glass, or in tin cans of 5-2 liters.
The artisan oil of Schirinzi Oil Mill
Are you looking for artisan extra virgin olive oil with excellent characteristics? A truly Good and Flavorful oil, pressed using artisanal methods according to our Puglian tradition? Try purchasing our cold-extracted artisan oil from our mill!
Our extra virgin olive oil, Santa Lucia (Balanced multi-varietal of Salento cultivars), Boschino (Fruity multi-varietal of Salento cultivars), and Dolce Terra Russa, is not available in traditional commerce, nor is it available in large distribution; we target directly a discerning consumer who is attentive to the quality of life and has chosen ‘health prevention and well-being’ as a rule. By eliminating intermediaries, we can also offer it at a fair price based solely on the quality of the olives and their processing.
The Schirinzi Oil Mill, located in Carmiano (Lecce), offers artisan extra virgin olive oil produced in its own mill and a wide range of products made with local olives, such as olive pâté, olives in brine, and preserved olives, along with products from local companies that also use artisanal methods, such as pasta and honey. All of this is sold directly at our oil sales point, located at the company’s headquarters.
Here, consumers and families can almost daily purchase “from the Artisan Producer to the Consumer” our oil at zero kilometers. Come visit our Sales Point, open on Sundays by appointment, and for those who are not in the area, there is also the option to order our oil online with home delivery.