Did you know that in Spain more than 200 varieties of olives? Nobody misses the vital importance of the fruit of the olive tree for our food and economy. We refer to one of the bases of the Mediterranean diet. Get ready to meet some of its main classes.
Spain: world power
Spain is the first world power if we talk about olive oil. This title has not been obtained in vain since it has two and a half million hectares dedicated to the olive grove. It is not surprising that the taste and characteristics of the olive can vary from region to region. The climate is not the same throughout the country and this affects the fruit of the tree. That is why the most gourmets know the olive varieties present in oils before you buy them. Here are some of the most relevant.
Picual, one of the mythical olive varieties
It is likely that this olive that ends in the shape of a beak is familiar to you. You have seen it thousands of times since it is the most common both in Spain and on the planet. Jaen, Cordoba y Grenada They are the three provinces that dedicate the most land to its cultivation. On the other hand, we can highlight from its oil a slight itching y bitterness. In turn, the consistency of the liquid stands out, which gives it stability. This is very used when it comes to keep foods and cook.
Hojiblanca
Who put the name is not that they played it a lot. Thus, the back of the tree's leaves is colored white. It comes mostly from Seville, Malaga, Granada y Cordova. It is precisely in the last province where the town of Lucena, its largest producer. Hence the name of lucentin. Its rounded and a medium-high caliber.
That is why they are served a lot in the table as appetizer, in addition to being used to make oil. This one has an aftertaste hot spicy characteristic and is valued for fry, in addition to seasoning. In Cordoba and Malaga it is said that "it grows" in the pan due to how much it spreads.
Arbequina
We move north. This variety comes from Lleida, Tarragona and Upper Aragon. In fact, the name of this cold-resistant class comes from the Lleida town of Arbeca. The size of the fruit is the smallest among the different olive varieties in Spain. Its oil is the sweetest of those that we discuss in this article. It is especially characterized by an aroma fruity reminiscent of Apple banana y almond.
Manzanilla from Seville
De globose shape and texture smooth y firm. It has its own regulatory council since it has the Protected Designation of Origin. It is grown in the Guadalquivir basin and fermented after harvest. So acquire a straw color or with a Smooth flavor y delicate. It also stands out for having quite a bit of meat relative to the bone, compared to others. When you bite it, you can't find the bone instantly, which is great to separate it.
Blanquette
The origin of the name is somewhat obvious. It derives from the color of the olive itself since it is whitish. It is a category of the Get the Funds!. Specifically of Alicante, although it has spread to neighboring provinces such as Murcia, Albacete y Valencia. The oil from the small fruits stands out for its content in Vitamin E. We are talking about one that gives you properties anticancer y Antioxidants. It also stands out for a peculiar flavor sweet but at the same time bitter. Like the arbequina, it has a certain aroma of almonds.
Conclusion
This is just a taste of the fascinating world of olives. There are many more olive varieties apart from the ones we've talked about. Each one with its own nuances that make it special. So we didn't want to turn the article into an encyclopedia either. However, what we would like to do is encourage you to try all the classes you can. There is one for each person and you are sure to find your favorite!
