/ Our magazine / Si dice olio di oliva.
/ Our magazine / Si dice olio di oliva.
Is it said oglio di oliva or olio di oliva? Well yes, we wanted to pose this question for a very specific reason: apparently, the answer is not as obvious as it might seem, and we, being as curious as we are, wanted to delve into the matter to discover the reasons behind it.
What drove us to give such a definition comes from Google search results: there are as many as 5,400 monthly searches for "oglio di oliva", but only one is the correct keyword: olio di oliva. That is why we wanted to title this article like this: "Is it said oglio di oliva or olio di oliva", to answer the question, to thank the related keywords, but most importantly to do justice to the only, unique and inimitable olio di oliva, the Italian condiment par excellence.
To answer the question: "Is it said oglio di oliva or olio di oliva", two distinct hypotheses can be made.
The first has its roots in the Italian language and especially refers to a particular pronunciation that resides in the Tuscany region, where it seems to be, in a popular and everyday manner, "oglio". This is a rustic, dialectal pronunciation, just as it often happens that there are variations of the same term from one area to another; nonetheless, it appears that the pronunciation "oglio" is also widespread in other regions. Obviously, the "cultured" Italian spelling remains "olio", which in rustic vernacular takes on the pronunciation "oglio".
The second hypothesis concerns a real spelling mistake, whereby the term "olio di oliva" is confused with "oglio di oliva", where in reality the only correct Oglio in Italian is the name of the river: the Oglio is a tributary of the Po that flows in Lombardy, between the provinces of Brescia, Bergamo, Cremona and Mantua.
In any case, Google always helps people find what they are looking for, even when they don’t remember an exact name, offering relevant answers to their requests through a certain phonetic resemblance, providing a suggestion with the wording: "perhaps you were looking for olio di oliva".
At this point, having solved the mystery, let us do justice to olio di oliva, particularly the olio extravergine di oliva which alone in our country boasts as many as 41 DOP designations and one IGP recognized by the European Union.
It is said olio di oliva, indeed, extravergine di oliva, the one obtained through extraction from olives using cold mechanical methods. Our country is the second largest producer of olive oil in the world, and of that production, two-thirds is extra virgin oil. The extra virgin olive oil is one of the most renowned Italian excellences worldwide, and has always enriched every dish we have, every day on our table.
Once it has been established that it is written olio di oliva and not oglio di oliva, let’s see what the differences are between olio and olio extravergine di oliva.
First of all, both are extracted from the first pressing of olives, but they differ in organoleptic characteristics and acidity levels. There are specific quality standards defined by European regulations: the extra virgin olive oil must have an acidity of no more than 0.8% per 100 grams and must be produced cold, that is, at a maximum temperature of 28 degrees through extraction with mechanical methods. Olive oil, on the other hand, is a blend of refined and virgin oils, with an acidity level reaching 1%. There are also other types of oils, such as lampante (acidity above 2%), which is not edible, and refined oil from lampante oil.
Naturally, only the extra virgin olive oil is able to provide organoleptic characteristics that make it precious, tasty and ideal for enhancing the flavors of the foods on our table, every day.
The extra virgin olive oil is a true Italian excellence. To guarantee its quality, tests are performed from a chemical and tasting perspective. The chemical test checks the acidity, while the organoleptic analysis (panel test) is performed by experts in the field and by designated organizations to confirm the results of laboratory tests. It relies on scent and taste, since color is not determinant and can often be misleading. In the end, the head panel will average the opinions of the tasters and determine the quality level of the olive oil, which will be extra virgin, virgin, ordinary virgin, or lampante.
The extra virgin olive oil represents the highest level of quality, it is gentle to the taste and mild to the scent, it is capable of enhancing the flavor of foods without overpowering them, and has important nutritional characteristics, essential for a healthy and balanced diet.
Try the best Italian excellences from the most renowned mills, with the selection made for you by Spaghetti & Mandolino! And remember: only olive oil, leaving the Oglio aside...
Antonella Iannò
S&M
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