Olives to Oil: A Cyprus Tradition

Описание: High in the Troodos Mountains, and throughout the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, olives are harvested every autumn and brought to factories where the process of turning olives to oil begins.

Whether picking one or two trees for family use or a large grove to market, the process is similar. Trees are pruned of sharp, dead branches before a cloth is spread out to catch olives stripped from the tree.

Once picked, anyone can bring their olives to factories around the island to be turned into oil. Technology speeds the process, but the age-old flavour endures. Farmers and hobbyists alike bring bags and crates of olives to the factories, where each person's pickings are loaded separately onto a conveyor belt and run through a series of machines.

First the olives are washed, then a vigorous shaking separates them from their leaves and stems. Ground and pressed, the oil spills through a pipe and is filtered through fine mesh, ready after an hour or so for the owner to collect and enjoy.

Thank you to Yiangos Olive Oil in Peristerona, Cyprus, (www.yiangos.com) for allowing me to film in their factory and to all of the Cypriots who so generously shared their tradition with me.

Hasan Jamali Photos
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