Olive Arbequina Produces Delicious Oils from Spain

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The Mediterranean offers a wonderful climate for holidaymakers in Europe but it also produces some wonderful plants and fruits such as olive arbequina. The olives are grown mainly in Aragon, Catalonia, and Andalusia in Spain, but they are also produced in parts of Argentina and Chile as well.

The main grove in Spain is located in the county of Baix Emporda in the province of Girona, Catalonia. This is just 50 kilometres from France and 12 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea.

Olive Arbequina is small and brown and takes its name from the village Arbeca, which is located in Catalonia. These olives are an important part of the economy of this small village along with almonds, cereals, pears, peaches and apples.

With one of the highest concentration of oils, the olive arbequina  are mainly used for olive oil production although they are also served as table olives. As the trees are typically small with weeping branches, the olives are relatively easy to handpick making it popular amongst growers in various regions of Spain.

The size of the tree means it is suitable for dense planting and the fruits are handpicked usually in the latter half of November. They are generally handpicked because a mechanical shaker is not suitable due to the small size of the fruits, the shape of the tree and the strong attachment of the fruit.

Olive abequina is also very popular with consumers given its unique flavour, which is quite peppery as well as the health benefits associated with it. Many people like to pour a little olive oil on their salads or perhaps on a crusty piece of bread.

The Alt and Baix Emporda counties have a climate very good for cultivating olive trees including the olive arbequina. The trees and the fruit will endure strong and cool winds that come across the Pyrenees Mountains. These winds are then followed by gentle breezes coming off the Mediterranean Sea that provides the olive trees some respite.

Olive arbequina  change colour during the ripening process from a light green to pink before finally to a browny purple shade. The olive oils derived from the arbequina varies in colour from green to a golden yellow depending on when the olives are harvested.

Another benefit of growing olive arbequina is their resistance to many pests and diseases given the natural chemicals they possess. Medfly and the olive fruit fly are the main threat to the fruits in Spain, but because they have few other natural enemies the arbequina needs very little in the way of crop sprays.

Sadly the evergreen leaves often hide the small and fragrant cream-coloured olive flowers that grow on a long stem that rises from the leaf axils. The two kinds of flowers an olive tree produces are one containing both female and male parts, and a staminate flower with stamens only.

The olives are a staple part of the Spanish diet and are used to cook some of the traditional dishes in this country such as paella and patatas bravas. The oil also provides health benefits too such as lowering cholesterol and helping digestion.