E arrivato! Every year there’s much anticipation in Italy about the autumn’s first pressed olive oil, olio nuovo. And it’s not too late to buy some!
In fall in western Europe there’s the annual release, to much fanfare, of Beaujolais in France and olio nuovo (new oil) in Italy. The new wine debuts at the same time as the best of the best of olive oils. Lucky for us!
As you can see below, the first press comes out of the pipes a bright vivid green and has a cloudy, thick appearance. I know, I know it almost looks like paint. Something Benjamin Moore cooked up. Maybe like sausage, we don’t want to actually see how olio nuovo looks while it’s in production. The oil is unfiltered and goes straight into the bottle in a pretty raw form, which gives it a much shorter shelf life than other olive oils.
Apparently some people enjoy it right out of the centrifuge. Pardon me while I pass on this opportunity and wait to get it in a bottle.
Olio nuovo will have a variety of flavors and smells depending on where the trees are grown and the type of olive trees they are. Like a fine wine, olio nuovo releases very distinct flavors and aromas: pepper, apple, cut grass, artichokes.
Because it has a limited shelf life and costs more than other olive oils, olio nuovo is too precious to be used as a cooking oil. It should be enjoyed in its rawest form. Drizzle it over salads, pour it into soups, use it as a dipping oil for pinzimonio (raw cut vegetables). Or just take a spoonful of it for good health.
Don’t Wait to Buy Olio Nuovo
So how do you get your hands on this olive oil of exceptional quality? If there’s no store in your town that imports Italian food products, you can turn to, what else, Amazon for all your shopping needs. There’s also a great importer you can visit online, Manicaretti, that not only sells olio nuovo but many other great Italian food products as well.
So order some olio nuovo, pour some into a saucer and lap it up with some good Italian bread. Yummy.
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