Olive oil is big in Tuscany. But it's not always made by big companies. Families have been bottling fine oil for years. Cooperatives make milling easy for small operations.
Just after the wine is bottled in the Lunigiana the olives are ready to be harvested. Here I join my neighbor Enrico for a little turn at getting the olives off of the trees in the modern, yet artisanal way, much to the delight of the women watching. Along the way I tell you a little about olive oil and olive harvesting in northern Tuscany.
A day in Enrico's olive grove offers fine views. He plies his workers with some fine wine, feeds them, and everyone seems to have a good time. You can find out more about olive oil and how to participate in a harvest in our article: Italian Olive Oil.
Believe me, if you get your olive oil from the supermarket and haven't tasted real olive oil like Enrico's, you're missing out on what olive oil really is.
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