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  • What are turning colour olives?

    The olives obtained from rose, wine-rose or brown coloured fruits harvested before the stage of complete ripeness is attained.

    olives
  • What is virgin olive oil?

    The oil obtained from olive fruits and exclusively through mechanical or physical means (washing, crushing, pressing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration), carried out in special thermal conditions which guarantee that no alterations whatsoever of the final product are produced.

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  • What is a table olive?

    It is the fruit of the cultivated olive tree ”Olea Europaea Sativa Hoffg. Link”, picked when properly matured and with such inherent qualities that, when processed appropriately, provides a long shelf life and excellent consumption properties.

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  • What is extra virgin olive oil?

    The virgin olive oil with an absolutely perfect odour & flavour. It is ideal for cold applications, such as the dressing of all types of salads and gourmet sauces.

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  • What does ''Gruesas'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with a diameter of over 13 mm.

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  • What does ''Capucines'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with diameters ranging between 8 and 9 mm.

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  • What is black peppercorn?

    The most common type of peppercorn, that is picked when the berry is almost mature or ripe, then dried until it shrivels and the skin turns dark brown to black. It?s the strongest flavoured peppercorn, slightly hot with a hint of sweetness.

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  • What is a Queen olive?

    The biggest size olive, with a strong flavour as a direct consequence of the high acidity that is developed during its fermentation.

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  • What are black olives?

    One must distinguish between ”oxidized black olives” and ”natural black olives”.

    Oxidized black or ripe olives: The olives obtained from the fruits which, not being fully mature, have been dyed by oxidation and whose bitterness has been reduced through a treatment with sodium hydroxide. Finally, the product is packed in brine and sterilized in order to preserve the fruit’s optimum quality ”ripe” olives.

    Natural black olives: The olives obtained from fruit picked when completely mature or just before and of a colour that may vary from reddish black to violet black, violet, greenish black or dark brown.

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  • What is white peppercorn?

    Peppercorn that is picked when fully mature or ripe, after which the berry is immediately soaked to soften its skin. The berries are then rubbed in order to remove the outer black skin, leaving behind the creamy white interior with a milder flavour.

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  • How are Spanish table olives classified or sized?

    The olives are calibrated or size-graded in accordance with the number of fruits with pit per kilogram. There is a direct relationship between the weight of the olive, of which approximately 30% being the pit, and the transversal diameter.

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  • Where does pepper or peppercorn come from?

    Pepper is a pungent condiment obtained from the dried and often ground berries of various plants of the genus ”Piper Negrum” (India and Indonesia).

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  • What does ''Fines'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with diameters ranging between 11 and 13 mm.

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  • What are sliced, wedged and halved olives?

    The pitted olives cut in transversal segments of a relatively uniform thickness (sliced), cut in four longitudinal segments having the shape of a wedge (wedged) or cut in two equal, longitudinal segments (halved).

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  • What does ''Nonpareilles'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with diameters ranging between 0 and 7 mm.

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  • How are gherkins classified?

    Gherkins are size-graded based on the number of fruit per kilogram, although they can also be classified by diameter or length.

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  • What does ''Gruesos'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to caperberries with a diameter of over 19 mm.

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  • What is light or lite olive oil?

    They are synonyms used indistinctly to refer to olive oil with a very light colour and a neutral taste, and that is composed by a blend of refined olive oil or olive pomace oil and a very small quantity of extra virgin olive oil. The term “light” does not designate oil that is low in calories or monounsaturated fats, as these contain the same amount of calories as all other olive oil types. It’s this rather nondescript or neutral flavour that makes “light” olive oil perfect for baking and cooking where regular olive oil’s obvious essence might be undesirable or would be intrusive.

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  • Are garlic cloves taken as a snack?

    Yes. The Oriental garlic cloves, which combine a mild flavour with a lack of smell and other digestive problems, are an original and delicious snack or appetizer. The garlic cloves, which are preserved in vinegar, acetic acid, brine or olive oil and presented natural or with fine herbs, can also be used as garnish or as a delicious ingredient for salads, cooked dishes (chicken, meat, pasta, etc.) and sandwiches.

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  • What does ''Surfines'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with diameters ranging between 7 and 8 mm.

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  • Are there different varieties of Spanish table olives?

    There are many different varieties of olives cultivated in Spain, though only a few are selected for the production of table olives. The most well-known and popular are the Queen-, Manzanilla- and Hojiblanca olives.

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  • What is pink pepper?

    It is not a true peppercorn though the dried rose-hued berries from the ”Baies” Rose plant (Madagascar). The pink coloured berries, with a pungent and slightly sweet taste, are ideal as a colourful and tasty dressing for many types of light-coloured sauces, as well as for meat and fish dishes.

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  • What are gherkins?

    The most popular pickle in the world and generally prepared from the immature fruit of the”Cucumis Sativus”plant, although in some cases the fruit of the ”Cucumis Anguria” plant is used. The fruit is green, cylindrical and with small bulges on its surface. It is harvested and processed as fresh, either in acetic acid or alcohol vinegar, or as fermented and preserved in brine. In all cases, sugar and spices/herbs such as dill can also be added.

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  • What is a caper?

    It is the unopened floral bud of the ”Capparis Spinosa”, an uncultivated, thorny plant found in the Southern regions of Spain and some other Mediterranean countries. Thanks to their unmistakable flavour, aroma and nutritional values, capers are used in many dishes, from pizzas and pasta to all kinds of meat, fish, sauces and salads.

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  • What are silverskin onions?

    They are small, white or silver skinned bulbs of the onion plant ”Allium Cepa”. Silverskin onions are mainly used in salads and stews or as garnish, although they are also an excellent and delicious snack or appetizer.

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  • What is refined olive oil?

    The oil obtained by the refining of a virgin olive oil which is not suitable for direct consumption due to its organoleptic characteristics. In order to obtain the desired organoleptic characteristics (taste, colour, smell, etc.), the refined olive oil is fortified with extra virgin olive oil resulting in olive oil with a mild or full bodied flavour.

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  • What does ''Capotes'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to capers with diameters ranging between 9 and 11 mm.

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  • What is the Scoville unit or scale?

    Is a measure of the piquancy or ”hotness” of a Chile pepper, named after the US chemist Wilbur L. Scoville who, in 1912, developed a method for measuring the level of piquancy of the various peppers. The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. The scale ranges from 0 for sweet peppers (Sweet Bell) to 300,000-570,000 SHU for the hottest pepper (Habanero). Pure capsaicin contains up to 16,000,000 SHU.

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  • How many types of peppercorn are there?

    There are many types of peppercorn (black, white, green, etc.) although the most popular is black peppercorn.

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  • What does ''Finos'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to caperberries with a diameter of under 15 mm.

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  • Are there different types of olive oil?

    Yes. Depending on how they are obtained and/or subsequently processed, the following types can be distinguished: (extra) virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, mild/intense/light flavoured olive oil and olive pomace oil.

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  • What is piri piri?

    A small bright red hot Chile pepper from Australia, Mozambique and Portugal, with a pungency level of approx. 5,000-10,000 Scoville units.

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  • What are pitted olives?

    The olives from which the stone (pit) has been removed and which essentially retain their original shape.

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  • What are ''Banderillas''?

    An original pickle composed by a pitted green olive (sometimes stuffed with pimiento), a gherkin slice, a small onion and a slice of pepper. It can also have a piece of green chilli pod in which case it is called ”hot Banderilla”.

    pickles
  • What are whole or plain olives?

    The olives from which the stone (pit) has not been removed and hence maintain their original shape.

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  • What is olive oil?

    The oil that is directly obtained from the fruits (olives) of the ”Olea Europaea L” tree, once they reach the required maturity. Contrary to all other vegetable oils, this natural juice might be consumed directly thanks to its special organoleptical characteristics.

    olive-oil
  • What is jalapeño?

    A thick fleshed medium hot Chile pepper named after the town of Jalapa in Mexico, with a bright medium to dark green colour, a vegetable flavour and a pungency rate of approx. 2,500-5,000 Scoville units.

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  • What is a Hojiblanca olive?

    The olive whose characteristics are very similar to those of the Manzanilla variety, apart from its flesh, which has a stronger texture, and its colour, which is a deeper green.

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  • What is pepperoncini?

    A European mild Chile pepper, to be found in Italy, Sicily, Sardinia and Greece. Dried, it is wrinkly, curved and russet red coloured with a pungency level of approx. 100-500 Scoville units.

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  • What does ''first press'' or ''cold pressed'' mean?

    They are synonyms that are used indistinctly to refer to the different procedures used to obtain extra virgin olive oil and their common feature is that those means are solely mechanical or physical.

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  • What are Chile peppers?

    The pods of any plant of the genus ”Capsicum” and that bear no relationship whatsoever to true pepper that belongs to the genus ”Piper Nigrum”. The fruit of the ”Capsicum” gender contains capsaicin, which is the oil present in its veins and what makes a pepper more or less spicy. There are many types of Chile peppers, with an enormous diversity of shapes, sizes and colours.

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  • What are stuffed olives?

    The pitted (green) olives stuffed with one or more suitable products, generally pimiento or anchovy, or their prepared natural pastes. Some are even hand stuffed with almonds, hazelnuts, capers, onions and orange or lemon peel.

    olives
  • What is a caperberry?

    It is the fruit of the “Capparis Spinosa” plant and it is a wonderful appetizer and an excellent accompaniment to any dish.

    capers
  • What does ''Medianos'' mean?

    It is the international classification or denomination that corresponds to caperberries with diameters ranging between 15 and 19 mm.

    capers
  • What is green peppercorn?

    The soft under-ripe or immature berry of the pepper plant ”Piper Nigrum” with a mild flavour and a clean or fresh bite, less pungent than black- or white peppercorns. The pale green colour gives it a nice tone for dishes with lighter colours.

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  • What is a Manzanilla olive?

    An unique olive since it can only be cultivated satisfactorily in olive groves in the Seville area. It is a fruit smaller in size to the Queen variety, very round in shape, fleshly, finer textured with a small pit and a unique taste.

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  • Is there any difference between ''olives'' and ''table olives''?

    There is no difference whatsoever. They are synonyms used indistinctly to describe the fruit of the olive tree that is eaten once it has been processed.

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