The olive oil from the Titone farm is the product of a family’s devotion to sustainable, traditional farming methods, and organic tending of the land. The resulting oil is a Sicilian classic. The Titone farm is located on the west coast of the Mediterranean island of Sicily, near the town of Marsala, in the Trapanesi Valley. The farms sits on 19 hectares of rolling hills with the olive trees growing amongst carefully weeded regional herbs and grasses. Father and daughter Titone own and manage the daily operations on the farm. Nicola is a fourth generation pharmacist and his daughter Antonella is a chemist.
The passion for understanding the land and growing their crop according to strict organic practices became a priority in 1985 when Nicola began the process of certifying the farm. In 1995 they invested in new pressing equipment to ensure the quality of the oil and to make the process more efficient. The farm also takes great pride in their D.O.P. (Denominazione di Orgine Protetta/Protected Designation of Origin) status. Close to five thousand olive trees are pruned into either umbrella or low cones, which aid in pest control and even ripening of the olive fruit. The careful methods practiced by the Titone family show in the resulting fine oil quality. The supply of this oil is very limited.
The harvest usually begins in October and runs through most of November. Olives are harvested just as they begin turning color and have a blush of black. The olives are hand picked with the assistance of specially designed wooden olive rakes that allow the workers to carefully pull the fruit from the trees and strip as few leaves as possible. Keeping the leaves intact with the tree assures greater health year after year. The fruit is quickly brought to the frantoio, placed into the hopper, carried by lift to the leaf extractor, and then the fruit is washed. The fruit continues through a carefully controlled environment that is created by the continuous cycle extraction process. The oil is then pumped into stainless steel holding containers and is left unfiltered. The resulting oil is a deep golden yellow with light green highlights. The oil has lovely notes of green grass and artichoke with a hint of pepper. The oil has won numerous awards at competitions in Italy, Switzerland, and Germany and at the Los Angeles County Fair competition it was awarded a sliver medal in 2006.
Increasingly popular, this oil’s incredible balance, finesse and distinctive flavor profile continue to delight the palates of chefs, home cooks and food journalists.
Olive cultivars: Nocellara, Biancolilla, and Cerasuola
500 ml/16.9 oz
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