Imagine a speck of oil spreading over the provinces of Ravenna and Forlì-Cesena, reaching the border with Tuscany. Imagine it covering, completely or partially, the municipalities of Brisighella, Faenza, Riolo Terme, Modigliana and Casola Valsenio. What you see is the production area of a gastronomic excellence of this land, an emerald that has long ennobled and embellished the tables of Romagna. We are talking about the extra virgin olive oil Brisighella DOP.
The bond between the olive, strictly Nostrana di Brisighella variety, and the land, or rather the gypsum, goes beyond any metaphor or poetry. During Medieval times, inhabitants of the land, especially those from Brisighella, made use of the gypsum mines present in the area to make their fortune. In 2005, the mines were included within the Parco Regionale della Vena del Gesso Romagnola.
The area has a very particular geological formation that shields it from the cold winds of the north and the east. This characteristic, together with the highly favorable microclimate and average altitude, has allowed the territory to become the ideal home for the olive tree.
Just like gold, not everything that shines and shimmers like emeralds is extra virgin olive oil Brisighella DOP.
In order to claim the protected designation of origin, the oil must come from the Olea europaea L. species, the Nostrana di Brisighella variety, and must be present for at least 90% in the olive groves. Moreover, the cultivation area of the olives is exclusively limited to the territories of Brisighella, Faenza, Riolo Terme, Modigliana and Casola Valsenio.
Extraction and packaging, designed to faithfully preserve the original characteristics of the fruit, are the final stages of the production cycle that yields extra virgin olive oil Brisighella DOP. The result is an excellent oil, characterized by a spicy and at the same time bitter taste, terrific on its own and perfect with vegetables, white meat and the Adriatic's fish. A culinary treasure that must be uncovered again and again.
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