From Grove to Grindstone
The journey begins in the grove where olives harvested at their peak are swiftly carried to the mill Here they are washed and poured into a great stone basin A massive vertical millstone turned by animal or human power rolls in a ceaseless circular path crushing fruit and pit into a coarse dark paste This first transformation is both visceral and foundational releasing the fragrant essence locked within the flesh
The Heart of the Olive Press
This paste then undergoes its defining trial spread onto round mats stacked high in the olive press Here immense leverage is applied a beam pressed down by heavy stones or a mighty screw turned with great force This is the solemn center of the process where immense pressure extracts the precious liquid gold from the solid pulp A bitter juice flows forth a mingled stream of oil and water the first yield is the finest and most prized
Liquid Gold Separated
The final act is one of purification The murky mixture runs into stone settling vats or centrifuges where gravity performs its slow magic Given time the oil rising lighter than water is skimmed or drawn off What remains is a luminous clear extra virgin essence ready for lamp or table This liquid sunlight captured through ancient mechanics is more than mere sustenance it is the preserved taste of the land and the yield of a timeless craft
