BRISIGHELLA PDO
The Brisighella PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil marginally touches the territory of the Province of Forlì-Cesena, in fact is confined to the area of Modigliana. Despite this, the production remains very interesting both from history and social point of view, considering the fact that it has obtained, first in Italy, the Protected Designation of Origin in 1996.
The first document wher is nominated the production of oil in the area is from 1594, when the Bishop of Bertinoro Giovanni Andrea Calligari, wrote a letter addressed to a doctor from Forlì, Geronimo Mercuriali:
"air, water, wine and oil and all the fruits are so good and tasty that they do not have to envy any other region."
Even Antonio Metelli, in the 1800, emphasized in his chronicles the quality of the products of this valley:
"in Brisighella the olive trees bear fruit always so perfect that it oozes from them a fine oil ..."
The production, limited and controlled, derived from local varieties of olive trees: Nostrana di Brisighella (predominant in not less than 90%), Orfana and Ghiacciola.
The gathering takes place for picking directly from the tree by passing the hand to "comb" along the branches to unscrew the fruits and delivery to the mill, in small boxes, takes place daily.
Consumer Features
The extra virgin olive oil of Brisighella has an emerald green color with golden reflections. The nose shows fruity medium-intense, with strong feeling of grass and vegetables (artichoke), while the flavor will denote the average characteristics of bitter and spicy.
The ideal use
It excels on fish in general especially on mullet, flounder and snapper, but expresses the best of its features if used raw, to flavor soups, salads and in sauces or as final touch on grilled meats and game.