Homer referred to olive oil as “liquid gold.” Living in Italy has finally taught me why! Olive oil is everywhere in this country, from restaurant dishes to beauty products. Olive oil has always been one of Italy’s treasures, with a history dating back thousands of years. In the past, the oil was used primarily for a medicine, a cosmetic, and a staple ingredient.
Today, olive oil remains highly regarded as one of the most versatile products on the market. It will boost your immune system, reduce your chance of developing a serious illness like heart disease, improve your skin to give you a healthy glow, improve your mood by reducing your vulnerability to depression, and even give your leather boots some extra shine!
Italy has taught me just how great olive oil tastes and how useful it can be. I even spent a day harvesting olives by hand!
What I learned from my day picking olives is that sometimes we take the end product for granted and ignore the time and effort it takes to produce what we love. Raking and handpicking the olives off of the trees took time and strength. Luckily, we had great weather. I can’t imagine having to harvest the olives on a bad day…but for olive harvesters, that would be quite typical during November.
Getting an inside look at the olive oil process made me appreciate the work and time that went into producing something I use pretty much every day. Helping to produce the product opened my eyes to the end result that I usually take for granted. Likewise, we are so fortunate to go to a school like Duke, so we should make the most of it! Don’t accept your friend’s attitude that you can slack off now since you worked so hard to get here. Recognize and remember all of the hard work and time you spent getting here. By respecting all those days you spent studying for your AP class or your standardized test, you will be more mindful to create a present that is worthy of your past. It will leave you appreciating your end product even more!
Oh, and one last thing:
How to tell the good stuff from the bad:
- Make sure to see the “Extra Virgin” sign of the bottle, which insures the purest and highest quality.
- Look for “DOP” mark, which ensures the ingredients came from the same production site.
- There’s no “right” answer for taste, it’s all about your preference!
- Spain, Italy, and Greece produce some of the best olive oil. Check to see if the oil is made from any of these 3 countries. But, be careful- in Italy the bottle can say “made in Italy” even if it’s only bottled there. This is where the ‘DOP’ becomes important. By looking at the region, you can see if the olives are actually from Italy or not.
- And, most importantly, Italy makes the BEST olive oil (although I am partial to it!)
Ciao,
Natalie
Photo Source