Opening Stories

Making Olive Oil from Scratch in Greece

Φτιάχνω ελαιόλαδο στην Ελλάδα

Caitlins Olive Oil from Pylos, Greece Caitlin spent some time in mainland Greece living on an olive farm and learning how to make olive oil from scratch.03. Making Olive Oil from scratch in Greece Φτιάχνω ελαιόλαδο στην Ελλάδα In 2023, Caitlin spent two months living on a farm in Pylos, Greece, in the heart of the Kalamata region — the birthplace of olive oil. She spent her time harvesting olives and making fresh olive oil from Koroneiki olives, which are grown in some of the best regions of Greece. Serves: Wogs around the world Prep time: 9 months Cook time: Forever • • The olives were handpicked, taking a careful, hands-on approach to minimise damage to the fruit. Using rakes and small hand-operated shaking machines, Caitlin and the team combed the olives off the trees into nets, which were then taken to the mill to be pressed. She spent hours in the olive groves, waking up at sunrise to beat the heat. But it was worth it for the end product. The fresh oil was a stark, bright green and full of flavour, unlike any other oil she’d had. She could only manage to fit 2 litres of the precious oil in her bag, wrapped up in plastic bags and rags. Everyone argued over who deserved the most oil, with Yiayia ultimately claiming the largest share. To this day, Jim is still mad about it.

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