Did you know that Spain is one of the biggest olive oil producers in the world? The Italians buy the olive oil from Spain, repackage it as their own and market it as Italian olive oil. Ingenious ye the Italians. Good marketers. Poor Spanish people don't get the credit they deserve.
I had the lucky opportunity to visit Aceite Artajo, an olive farm in Tudela, an hour south of Pamplona. It was a pity that the harvest season is over (Oct & Nov) so there were no olives left on the trees but we did get a tour of the factory though.
The 200 hectre plantation produces about 150,000 litres of extra virgin olive oil (they only produce that), the first pressing of the olives. They donate the leftovers to other companies to make virgin oil from the 2nd press and normal olive oil from subsequent presses. They are a medium producer exporting to Japan, US and Central Europe. Sadly, not to our parts of the world yet.
To make up for the lack of olives on the trees, they brought us to an olive farm where they had olive trees that were 300 years old!!
Artajo olive farm & factory and me with a 300 year old olive tree
The owner, Ignacio Puras Gil, a lovely old man that didn't speak English, cooked for us an absolutely delicious meal. Navarra is famous for vegetables and Tudela is particularly famous for their cogollos (type of lettuce) and artichokes. They use minimal seasoning, just salt and olive oil. Damn healthy. Good to eat vegs after so long. His roasted lamb gave Shueh an orgasmic experience too hehe. Ambience was just heavenly.. perfect lunch overlooking an olive farm.
The perfect lunch - good food in the middle of an olive farm
Went back to Pamplona for a Spanish cheese tasting education. Spain produces 120 diffrent types of cheese from all over the region but Rafael Barbajero from Consorcio de los Quesos Tradicionales de Espana brought only 10 different cheeses for us to try.
Spain is famous for their goat and sheep milk cheeses. I liked the Montenebro, made out of goat milk. Moldy on the outside, slightly stinky and solf on the inside. Found out it's one of the most expensive ones, bout Euro 25 per kilo. Oh, did you know you need to use apple to clean your palatte before the next cheese tasting? Water won't do the trick. Learn something everyday.
The 10 different types of Spanish cheese
Rafael Barbajero cutting Tetilla (means little breast). Loved the Montenebro.
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