Embark on an organic olive oil tasting at a local Andalusian farm!
Our Organic Olive Oil Tasting is one of our favourite activities that we offer. We love our city but sometimes it feels good to escape on an adventure! Here in Ronda, we are surrounded by beautiful countryside where local, organic products are grown, so why not take advantage of that?
Use this opportunity to take a unique day trip from Ronda and discover the best of the Organic Olive Oil tasting that we have prepared for you! Where you’ll become an expert in organic olive oil production, enjoy a homemade lunch with locals and discover what actually goes on in an organic olive grove! In our mini-escape to Zahara de la Sierra, we experience first-hand the beautiful local olive grove, famous for producing some of the best olive oil in the region and located in beautiful surroundings in the nature reserve of Grazalema.
Zahara de la Sierra
The Zahara de la Sierra, in the Cadiz province, is known as the most beautiful pueblo blanco along the route of the white villages trail, with a stunning turquoise river and intriguing mountainside position. The small town has a tradition of olive oil production with many family businesses having been run here for centuries.
They are experts in olive oil, with knowledge passed down many generations, keeping up-to-date with innovative techniques and advanced growing systems. In this pueblo, be prepared for whitewashed buildings, streets filled with orange trees and impressive landscapes.
A slice of Andalusian heaven, the landscape provides a stunning backdrop whilst you’re learning about how the best olive oil is produced, so much so that you’ll think to yourself; no wonder the olive oil tour is so good when the place where it’s grown is so beautiful!
Slow Food Philosophy
Following the Slow Food philosophy, we help to preserve traditional culture through cultivating products that support local farms in the region and the ecosystems where the crops are produced. Part of the movement is about respecting the land, which consequently translates into respect for local cuisine. We recognise the importance of olive oil in Andalucía’s culinary tradition and as the essence of Mediterranean cuisine.
An Organic Olive Oil tasting into the Spanish Culture
It’s not surprising that Spain is the leading producer of olive oil in the world. You won’t find a single Spanish kitchen without a bottle of olive oil! For thousands of years, the Spanish have used olive oil as a staple ingredient in their gastronomy and find ways to incorporate it into almost every meal.
Known for its many health benefits, the country’s high olive oil consumption may be a factor in why the Spaniards have one of the longest life expectancies! Andalusia’s climate makes it ideal for olive oil production with mountainous terrain and long, dry summers with plenty of sunshine. In fact, Andalucía produces 75% of the olive oil produced in all of Spain! At the grove we visit, the olive trees thrive off of the rugged, limestone mountains of Zahara de la Sierra; the perfect environment for cultivating the best oil.
Exploring the organic fields
You’ll take a walk through the organic fields of the grove, admiring the hundred-year old olive trees and appreciating the beautiful setting where the oil is cultivated. Here at Entrelenguas, we think it’s super important to make the connection between the food you eat and where it comes from.
During the tour of the grove, we get to know in-depth the workings of an olive grove. You’ll learn in detail about the production of organic olive oil; from the olive to the oil. Learn about sowing, collection, harvesting and more, all using biodynamic processes and environmentally-friendly growing procedures. The oil produced at the local grove is of superior quality as it is obtained from the best olives, harvested at their optimum ripeness and milled on the same day of collection. They use only mechanical processes in order to preserve all of the mountain olive’s natural aroma, unique flavour and characteristic of the fruit.
Then not forgetting the opportunity to taste the best olive oil in the region with this organic olive oil tasting in Ronda! During our olive oil tour, you’ll taste different types of olive oil and learn about their uses, admiring how they differ according to season, soil and type of olive.
Dine with locals
To finish off our Olive Oil experience, the owners of the grove prepare a traditional, homecooked meal in their farmhouse hidden amongst the olive trees. The lunch is prepared with local products made organically on the farm, including of course, fresh olive oil recently harvested! We dine with the owners of the grove; you’re guaranteed interesting conversation and they will no doubt share their best culinary secrets with us!
Take this opportunity to take a day trip from Ronda to somewhere unique! Visiting a traditional olive mill, you’ll learn in-depth about the production process and the secrets of creating the best organic olive oil. Dedicate some time to learning about possibly the most important ingredient in Spanish gastronomy and learn culinary secrets of our region that you can take back home and use for your own recipes!
- Written by @Emily Jordan