In Chiadma there is still an old press where a camel turns the stone that crushes the olives. In this video we took our family’s olives from the Had Draa area there, and compared the camel press with a modern one. Dad was the judge.
The olives are picked from the trees and cleaned of leaves and twigs. The sooner they are pressed after picking, the better the oil.
The camel walks slowly in circles, turning the big millstone that crushes the olives with their stones into a paste. This slow crushing doesn’t overheat the paste.
The paste is placed in woven mats and pressed so the oil comes out together with the olives’ water.
The oil rises above the water and is collected, then left to rest so the sediment settles.
The traditional press gives an old-fashioned taste and a strong aroma; the modern press gives clean, consistent oil in less time. Who won our comparison? Dad tasted both and decided — the result is in the video.
Want to know what “extra virgin” and “first cold pressing” mean? Read extra virgin olive oil: how to choose a good one.
Our olive oil comes from the family’s trees, first cold pressed, in 1 L and 5 L with cash on delivery. And see recipes where we use it: couscous with tfaya and rfissa.
Olive harvest with the family in the Moroccan countryside: when the season starts, how we pick olives by hand, why they must be pressed quickly, and tips for choosing this year’s olive oil.
Read the articleHow beldi argan oil is made by hand: cracking the nuts, roasting the kernels over the fire, grinding with a stone mill and kneading. Every step with our video.
Read the articleWhat is the difference between extra virgin, virgin and regular olive oil? What does “first cold pressing” mean? A simple guide to choosing and storing good olive oil.
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