The earliest ever known cultivation of olives came from Crete in 3500 B.C. in the ancient Minoan times. It didn’t take too long before cultivation of this olive tree became a little bit more organized .After some time, it turned out to be a major component of this island’s economy. Almost at the same time, Cretans saw the need to begin exporting this olive oil to the mainland of Greece, Asian Minor and also North Africa. Quickly, Greece picked up on this cultivation the olive oil and tree became synonymous for Greek cooking as the centuries swept by and by.
When you arrive in Greece, Charter a yacht. Corfu will guide you throughout the yachting and then venture off into the awesome Island of Paros. Whilst in Paros make sure you visit the unique Pension. Owners offer guests opportunities to press the olive oil themselves. Guests also take part in gathering the olives, making them for pressing, as well as extracting oil using old and traditional processes. Once you are done with pressing, the owners will then open the big central kitchen in the centre of a ten-room guesthouse and guide you on how to easily cook with fresh olive oil that you pressed. Guests also get to enjoy excursions to the best of the restaurants and local Paros taverns for in-depth explorations of the genuine art of Greek cooking. This mostly happens in November and December.
Olives found in Corfu are reaped from November to April 6-8 months after the appearance of Greece’s spring blossoms. With their mild winters as well as long, hot summers, Corfu, possesses the best climate for these olive trees to grow, mature and fruit. In other places, these olives are beaten from trees using poles and then caught up using large nets. Nowadays, most olive farmers make use of current machinery in harvesting the olives, including branch and trunk shakers. Despite this, some Corfu olive growers pick those that fall naturally onto the ground. Or, they are helped by rain and wind. Once olives are collected, they are taken immediately for pressing. If they aren’t pressed there and then, they begin oxidizing and end up fermenting. Several years ago, this crushing process was majorly done using hands, a spherical stone and basins.
Today, applying the same technique, olives are easily and quickly crushed by machines such as the stainless steel grindstone. Then, the oil is filtered from the paste by way of centrifugation-spinning the paste very quickly. Overlooking the scenic bay of Agni, you see the Agni Olive Press. This one occupies the part at the top of a former agricultural structure.
This villa is unique and was transformed by the owner’s sure touch, Giuseppe, into a great enchanted getaway. This must probably be among the most charming houses all over Corfu. It is full of character, life, chic with a skilful blend of both new and old. Most of these features of old olive pressing have all been included into the building with vaulted bricks, openings, stone wall and millstones placed to act as tables. A broad paved road then catches the beautiful rays of the sun for the rest of the day and ends up looking down to the olive trees, the sea as well as the mainland adjacent. Beneath this Olive Press, and somehow separate, is the Giuseppe’s Retreat. This is where Giuseppe himself used to spend most of his summers.
