Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. Olive oil is the most common vegetable oil. It is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods or as a salad dressing. It is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps, and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine; the other two are wheat and grapes. Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC.
The top five producers of olive oil by volume are Spain, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, but per capita national production is highest in Portugal.
In preparing the first mobility for our project our students visited the olive groves and oil mill of the Oliveira da Serra.
The Oliveira da Serra Mill is located in Ferreira do Alentejo, integrated in the Marmelo olive grove. The Mill designed by the Portuguese architect Ricardo Bak Gordon, is a tribute to the Portuguese Olive Grove and represents the maximum exponent
Oliveira da Serra Mill
A taste of the sea
Samphire is sometimes called ‘sea asparagus’, this tiny succulent plant is the perfect complement to fish or lamb. It is incredibly versatile, quick cooking and can be used in many ways – stir at the end through a seafood risotto or add to creamy omelettes. It’s glorious in summer salads, too, scattered through cherry tomatoes, broad beans, new potatoes and spring onions for a fresh seasonal side. In Smitten Kitchen’s exploration of Portuguese cuisine we visited the Samphire Farm: “Taste of the Sea” and ate Peixinhos da Horta made with Samphire