Process
Process of making Robust & Soft olive oil
1. Harvesting
Robust Olive Oil
For a robust flavour, olives are harvested early in the season when they are still green or just beginning to ripen. This timing ensures a higher concentration of polyphenols, which contribute to the oil's more pungent, peppery taste.
Soft Olive Oil
Soft olive oil is made from olives that are harvested later in the season when they are fully ripe. These olives have a lower polyphenol content, resulting in a milder, smoother, and buttery oil.
2. Sorting and Washing
After harvesting, olives are carefully sorted to remove leaves, twigs, and damaged fruit. They are then washed to eliminate any dirt or impurities, preparing them for pressing. This step is crucial for ensuring the purity and quality of the oil.
3. Crushing
The olives are crushed into a paste using traditional stone mills or modern stainless steel rollers. This process breaks down the olives, including the skin and pits, to release the oil within. The method of crushing can influence the oil’s final taste and aroma.
4. Malaxation (Mixing)
The olive paste is slowly mixed or churned, allowing the tiny oil droplets to agglomerate and separate from the water and solid particles. The temperature and duration of this process are carefully controlled to preserve the oil’s Flavors and health properties. For robust oil, a shorter and cooler malaxation phase is preferred to maintain its strong characteristics, while soft oil may undergo a slightly longer or warmer mixing to enhance its milder qualities.
5. Extraction
Cold Pressing
Traditionally, the olive paste is spread onto mats or disks, which are then pressed to extract the oil. This method, known as cold pressing, ensures that the oil never exceeds a certain temperature, preserving its nutritional value and Flavors.
Centrifugation
Modern facilities often use a centrifuge to separate the oil from the water and solids. This method is more efficient and hygienic, producing a high-quality oil. The oil is kept at a low temperature during centrifugation to qualify as "cold-extracted."
6. Decanting and Filtration
The extracted oil is allowed to settle, separating it further from any remaining water and solids. Some producers may also filter the oil to achieve a clearer product, although unfiltered oil is also popular for its robust flavour.
7. Storage and Bottling
The final step involves storing the oil in stainless steel containers or dark glass bottles to protect it from light and oxygen, which can degrade the oil. Proper storage is essential to maintain the oil’s quality until it reaches the consumer.
Throughout this process, the key to producing either robust or soft Moroccan olive oil lies in the careful selection of olive varieties, precise timing of the harvest, and the meticulous control of production conditions to achieve the desired flavour profile and quality.
Process of making Argan Oil
1. Harvesting
Argan fruits are typically harvested by hand between June and August, the traditional way. These fruits look somewhat like a shrivelled olive, but larger, and are collected either directly from the tree or picked up from the ground after falling naturally.
2. Drying
Once harvested, the argan fruits are laid out under the sun to dry, which makes it easier to remove the outer flesh. In the case of argan oil intended for culinary use, the flesh is sometimes removed before drying. This drying process can take several days and is crucial for accessing the nut inside.
3. Extracting the Nuts
After drying, the next step is to remove the hard nut from the dried fruit. This is traditionally done by hand, using stones to crack open the outer shell. The task requires skill to ensure that the kernels inside are not damaged in the process.
4. Cracking the Nuts
The hard nuts contain one to three almond-shaped kernels, which is where the oil is extracted from. Cracking the nuts to retrieve these kernels is the most labour-intensive part of the process. Women often perform this task using a handheld stone, carefully cracking each nut individually.
5. Grinding the Kernels
For traditional argan oil, the kernels are then ground into a thick paste. This is typically done using a stone grinder. The paste is a mixture of crushed kernels and a small amount of water, which helps in the extraction process. In modern production, mechanical presses are sometimes used instead, but many purists believe that the traditional method yields oil with the best quality and authenticity.
6. Dextracting the Oil
The thick paste is then kneaded by hand for several hours to extract the oil. For culinary argan oil, the paste may be roasted before this step, giving the oil its distinctive nutty flavour. The kneading process separates the oil from the solid material, which is then decanted and filtered to remove impurities.
7. Settling and Filtration
The extracted oil is left to settle, allowing any fine solids to precipitate to the bottom. The clear oil is then carefully decanted and may be filtered again to ensure its purity and clarity. This final product is the argan oil that is prized around the world for its beauty and health benefits.
8. Bottling
Finally, the oil is bottled, sealed, and labelled, ready to be distributed and sold. High-quality argan oil should be clear, with a golden yellow colour for cosmetic use and a deeper golden brown for culinary use, each with its own distinctive scent.