Life in the Risca Grande Olive Groves in September

The Alentejo region is one of the sunniest corners of Portugal. Summer days are long and hot with temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. Prolonged drought and heat discomfort people and animals. Not much goes on in this region in late summer but work must continue for the Berhard and Zehnder families on the Risca Grande farm.
Plants also have difficulties with the heat and part of the Risca Grande olive groves (especially the saplings and young plants) are irrigated by the farm's natural lake, filled by the winter rain. The trees then convert the power of the sun into assimilates which are incorporated into the growing fruit.
Fruit pests are always a challenge for the organic olive producer and at this time the olives are susceptible to punctures by the Olive Fly trying to lay its eggs in them. The Bernhard and Zehnder families hang self -made traps in the trees to counteract these flies, preventing them from degrading the quality of the olives.
In August and September the shoots that grow around the base of the olive tree trunks must also be manually removed to prevent them from sapping energy from the trees. All of this work goes on while the olive oil from the last harvest is still being bottled from the storage tanks and packed for customers around the world.
Soon the olives will begin to ripen and the processing equipment will be readied in anticipation of the new harvest to come in November and December.

Ouro de Portugal - Portuguese Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

'Ouro de Portugal' is produced by Leopoldino Freitas & Sons, a  family run business, based in the small village of Formigais, near Fatima in Central Portugal who have been producing olive oil for generations.


Pure as the olive trees and the soil that nourishes them, L. Freitas & Sons Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the Gold of Portugal.
This Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is obtained from olives harvested in the 'Trás-os Montes' area of northeastern Portugal, which also produces the world renowned port wine.
From a climate that is very hot in summer and cold in winter, comes a very characteristic olive oil loaded with golden yellow colour, strong aroma and a hint of almond.

Produced from the Verdeal, Madural and Cobrançosa olives, typical of Portugal’s North East.
Its taste is sweet with a spicy and slightly bitter touch. Traditional harvesting and mechanical processing in a modern mill ensures the best characteristics are ever present.
Free from artificial chemicals, organic farming practices and principles are adhered to from olive harvesting, through oil production to bottling and packaging.

'Ouro de Portugal' is available in the following stores:-

Nature's Gate, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Andrew O'Callaghan, Bettystown, Co. Meath
Preserved Cafe, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
JC's, Swords, Co. Dublin
Superquinn, Swords, Co. Dublin
Superquinn, Sutton, Co. Dublin
Country Market, Howth, Co. Dublin
Superquinn, Finglas, Dublin
Superquinn, Blanchardstown, Dublin
Superquinn, Lucan, Co. Dublin
Superquinn, Sundrive, Dublin
Superquinn, Walkinstown, Dublin
Donnybrook Fair, Baggot St., Dublin
Donnybrook Fair, Morehampton Rd., Dublin
Mortons, Ranelagh, Dublin
Field & Vine, Rathmines, Dublin
Superquinn, Knocklyon, Dublin
The Market, Stepaside, Co. Dublin
Superquinn, Balinteer, Dublin
Superquinn, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
Cavistons, Glasthule, Co. Dublin
Happy Pear, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Donnybrook Fair, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Superquinn, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Swans, Naas, Co. Kildare
NewbridgeOOOBY, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Superquinn, Carlow, Co. Carlow
Superquinn, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
Superquinn, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Superquinn, Waterford, Co. Waterford
Ardkeen Quality Food Stores, Ardkeen, Co. Waterford
Supervalu (Garveys), Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
Sage Cafe, Youghal, Co. Cork
Collins Wholefoods, Youghal, Co. Cork
Bramley Lodge, Cobh, Co. Cork
Supervalu (Garveys), Cobh, Co. Cork
Natural Choice, Paul St., Cork
Supervalu (Scally's), Blackrock, Cork
Supervalu  (Barry Down), Ballincollig, Cork
Quay Foods, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Supervalu (Scally's), Clonakilty, Co. Cork
Fehily's, Ballineen, Co. Cork
Supervalu (Fields), Skibbereen, Co. Cork
Spar (Drinagh), Skibbereen, Co. Cork
Eurospar (Brosnans), Schull, Co. Cork
Organico, Bantry, Co. Cork
Supervalu (Murphy's), Castletownbere, Co. Cork
Loop de Loop, Castletownbere, Co. Cork
Keatings, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry
Superquinn, Limerick
Foxford Woolen Mills, Foxford, Co. Mayo
Daily Fresh, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim

Something interesting about Olive Oil

I was thinking about the barrage of products on the market today that are aimed at lowering cholesterol when I remembered a recent article in Science Daily about how Olive Oil works.
It occurred to me that the more research we do the more we discover the benefits of the natural foods that have been used for thousands of years.
This article in Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401200447.htm) describes how researchers in Porto have discovered how a particular component of Olive Oil gives protection against Heart Attack and Stroke.
Other research has demonstrated the cholesterol lowering effects of Olive Oil (http://www.ajcn.org/content/47/6/960.abstract), how olive oil helps prevent DNA damage http://www.kitchentablemedicine.com/olive-oil-new-research-shows-it-prevents-dna-damage/), the impact of olive oil on cancer and ageing (http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/health_food/fruits/three_recent_studies_olive_oils_impact_on_cancer_and_aging.html), how Olive Oil helps prevent stroke (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13782797) and the list goes on.
Of course, the inhabitants of Southern Europe have known for thousands of years that Olive Oil is good for you and have consistently had long life spans and lower incidence of heart attack, cancer and stroke than average. This has been put down to the "Mediterranean Diet". Scientists are now only beginning to realise the importance of Olive Oil in this diet.
It is probably fair to say (as is often the case) that this time, the primitive peoples of Southern Europe were the pioneers of healthy food and Scientists are only now starting to catch up.
So the next time you look for something healthy to supplement your diet, perhaps you should look no further than Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably Organic), it has only been around for a few thousand years.

Recent article on Casa Bio in Irish Times

Award winning Portuguese Olive Oil now in Ireland.

With the salad season now upon us and the barbeques lighting up, what better time to take a

look at Risca Grande, a delightful new organic olive oil from Portugal.

Though not well known in this part of the world for their olive oil, Portugal has been

producing olive oil since before the arrival of the Romans almost 2,000 years ago and the

Portuguese are now the world's sixth largest olive oil producer.

The Risca Grande Organic Olive Oil Company is a family business, run by the Bernhard and

Zehnder families, located approximately 30km east of Beja in the Alentejo province of

Southern Portugal.

Although acclaimed throughout Portugal and Spain for its production of premier quality olive

oil, the Alentejo area has been kept a closely guarded secret from the rest of the world with its

remarkable landscape of rolling hills and open prairie like fields, dotted with plantations of

cork and olive trees. Temperatures regularly hit 40°C in summer, making it one of the

warmest places in Europe.

Strict organic farming principles and practices are adhered to on the Risca Grande farm,

achieving both certified Organic and Demeter standard.

Their extra virgin olive oil is becoming renowned throughout Europe, scooping prizes at the

Biofach international organic food fair (the world's premier organic food fair) and at the BIOL

fair in Italy (considered to be the world's most prestigious organic olive oil tasting

competition). Indeed Risca Grande Classic has just been awarded 'organic olive oil of the year'

by Italian olive oil guru, Marco Oreggia, in his 'Flos Olei' guide to the world's best olive oils

and he has also included it in his overall best 20 olive oils for 2011.

Risca Grande Classic Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced from olive varieties that have

been traditionally grown in Alentejo for centuries and that are unique to that area.

To quote Marco oreggia, Risca Grande “is an intense limpid golden yellow colour with light

green hues. Its aroma is ample and elegant, rich in fruity hints of medium ripe tomato, white

apple, banana and vegetal notes of country vegetables, especially lettuce and chicory. Its taste

is round and complex, with an aromatic flavour of eucalyptus, field balm and fig leaf.

Bitterness is present and pungency is limited with an almond finish”.

Along with its traditional use in salads, Risca grande is also an ideal companion for fish, lamb,

white meat, mild vegetables, pasta, bruschetta or simply for flavouring your bread.

Risca Grande Classic Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now available in The following Stores:-


Food for Thought, Carlingford, Louth
Andrew O'Callaghan, Bettystown, Meath
J.C.'s, Swords, Dublin
Superquinn, Swords, Dublin
Superquinn, Sutton, Dublin
Country Market, Howth, Dublin
Superquinn, Finglas, Dublin
Superquinn, Blanchardstown, Dublin
Superquinn, Lucan, Dublin
Superquinn, Sundrive, Dublin
Superquinn, Walkinstown, Dublin
Avoca Handweavers, Suffolk Street, Dublin
Donnybrook Fair, Baggott Street, Dublin
Donnybrook Fair, Morehampton Road, Dublin
Mortons, Ranelagh, Dublin,
Field & Vine, Rathmines, Dublin
Avoca Handweavers, Rathcoole, Dublin
Superquinn, Knocklyon, Dublin
The Market, Stepaside, Dublin
Superquinn, Balinteer, Dublin
Superquinn, Blackrock, Dublin
Organic Supermarket, Blackrock, Dublin
Cavistons, Glasthule, Dublin
Donnybrook Fair, Greystones, Wicklow
Superquinn, Bray, Wicklow
Avoca Handweavers, Kilmacanogue, Wicklow
Swans on the Green, Naas, Kildare
Superquinn, Carlow
Superquinn, Kilkenny
Jimmy Trehy, Farmers Market, Cahir, Tipperary
Superquinn, Clonmel, Tipperary
Superquinn, Waterford
Ardkeen Quality Food Stores, Waterford
Garvey's Supervalu, Dungarvan,Waterford
Blasta Wholefoods, Dungarvan, Waterford
Farmgate, Midelton, Cork
Bramley Lodge, Cobh, Cork
Supervalu, Cobh, Cork
Supervalu, Glanmire, Cork
Natural Choice, Paul Street, Cork
On the Pigs Back, Douglas, Cork
Supervalu, Barry Down, Ballincollig, Cork
Quay Foods, Kinsale, Cork
Supervalu, Clonakilty, Cork
Fehily's, Balineen, Cork
Urru, Bandon, Cork
Spar, Drinagh Co-op, Skibbereen, Cork
Supervalu, Skibbereen, Cork
Brosnans, Schull, Cork
Organico, Bantry, Cork
Stuffed Olive, Bantry, Cork
Supervalu, Castletownbere, Cork
Loop de Loop, Castletownbere, Cork
Keatings, Cahirciveen, Kerry
Ri Nua, Dingle, Kerry
Superquinn, Limerick
Foxford Woolen Mills, Foxford, Co. Mayo
Daily Fresh, Kinlough, Leitrim