Sabina.net - Come conservare olio e olive

CONSERVATION OIL AND OLIVES

One of the greatest problems connected to the oil conservation was represented by the choice of a container capable of preserving its organoleptic properties, so refined but also unlikely too last or a long time. for this purpose the choise fell on the "doli", some special eathenware containers similar jars or our "vettine".
Particularly troublesome was the oil transportation, mainly carried out by means of amphoras, a sort of versatile containers very similar to our "non-returnable bottles", which were used to transport various products and whose fragments have been found at monte Testaccio in Rome. Gradually, many other "unbreakable" containers came inti use, although they were less hygienic; we refer to the "otri" - leather bottles suitable for smallquanties- and to the wooden barrels, used as from 400 A.D..
During the Roman age the olives played an important role in the everyday diet. they were first pickled then, before being used, they were first pickled then, before being used, they were strained, stoned, minced together whit various spices and mixed with honey. An alternative method of conservation consisted in choosing the best drupes, drying and putting them in a cloth bag ("fiscolo"), squashing and keeping them pressed overnight. The day after they were minced and flavoured with salt and spices, before being preserved in a jar full oil. Very common ws also the black olives puree which was obtained after a salting process lasting 30 to 40 days. As from the Middle Ages, during which the fireplaces spread even to the poorest houses, the olives were dried in cloth bags or in baskets hanging on the cowl and exposed to the smoke which gave them a particular taste. Today's methods of conservation slightly differ from the ancient ones, even though personal experiences, handed on from generation to generation, have given birth to many alternative versions.