Featuring the oil of Salvatore Mirisola

We asked Signore Mirisola to write down some thoughts about his oil and his life as an olive grower. He was happy to oblige ...in Italian. So, what follows is a translation. The meaning is here but, alas, the music of his beautiful native language is not.

"I have been growing trees to make olive oil since 1973, and through the years, I have learned a great deal about how to improve the quality of my oil.

After studying different cultivation methods, and learning about different soils and microclimates I decided in 1980 to buy additional olive groves and plots of land with the attributes I needed. It was hard at first but now, with my son Tito, and the experience we have gained through years of organic farming, I believe we make some of the best olive oil in Italy, if not the world.

I must also say that much of what we have done would not have been possible without the help of the men who work with my son and me in the groves. Two of them, Giuseppe Cammarata and Pietro Licata have been with me from the beginning. To them, and to all our friends who have helped so much, I am deeply grateful.

With organic farming, quantity is really sacrificed (we only make about 1 liter of oil per tree), but the quality is exceptional, and we are now ready to share with you our little jewel.

The flavors of my oil enhance the taste of cold dishes like salads and carpaccio and really add to a traditional tomato and basil sauce... also to vegetable soups and oven-cooked foods. The oil is perfect for bruschette, meat, and game. Really, I believe it is a prerequisite for great cuisine.

I even used to sit on a stone and enjoy it with my workers at breakfast, spoonfuls of it with some dried oregano and warm homemade bread..."