olive oil in the lands of the Serenissima his arrival and the slow transition from city to country
Conference on "The olive and its oil "
December 11, 2010 Main Chapel
Conversation Giampiero Rorato
Olive oil makes its appearance in Venice in very ancient times, since the Romans had done to spread the cultivation of 'olive trees in the lands they conquered, so even in the Tenth Region Augustan "Venetia et Histria.
Probably the Romans, already expert in the cultivation and production of olive oil, spread these plants in suitable areas: in our territory, certainly in the Euganean Hills, Berici in the hills and foothills of the long running Lake Garda at the neck and the Carso, of course going to Treviso and Pordenone, although in some areas, the olive tree was already there, such as around Lake Garda and Verona in the valleys, as already c 'was in Istria with the production of excellent oil.
Regarding Istria in particular, to confirm it is the Roman poet of English origin, Marcus Valerius Martial (40-104) in his epigram (II, 63), in which he writes: "Uncto Corduba laetior Venafro - Histria nec minus head absoluta " (which means: The city of Cordoba, Spain is the most oil rich city of Venafro, in Campania, famous in those days for its oil, and certainly no less perfect for a jar of oil Istria).
We know that in 500, at the time of Roman-barbarian kingdoms, Cassiodorus (490-583), great minister of Theodoric in Ravenna, as he writes in a letter to ask for sweet wines Venetian canon, it did bring 'oil of Istria because he considered worthy of the king's table.
To have a document we have to wait longer linked to the Venice Cook Book, a treatise on cooking of 135 recipes compiled by an anonymous author in the late fourteenth century. In this case we find that in aristocratic Venetian - the recipe was for them, certainly not for the people - they used to flavor the lard and lard while much rarer is the use of oil, in fact, the bono oglio , suggesting that the drafters of the Treaty in the best houses in Venice they used an olive oil better than the one used in the rest of Northern Italy.
should be noted in this regard, unlike that of Milan and Turin and their respective areas, the Banner of San Marco flew from the Mille, from the time of shipment of the Doge Pietro Orseolo II, Istria and the Dalmatian Venetian Ships and intensified their travels in the Levant, going to buy products in Greece and also in Puglia, so the olive oil in Venice has it.
examination of recipes and other data available has been calculated that in the late Middle Ages to Venice lard or other animal fat was used in 42% of the recipes and only 7% involved the use of oil olive oil, while 51% did not provide for seasoning.
Olive oil was then, but only in the homes of the richest nobles, and burghers and peasants continued to cook and season with lard, lard and butter.
for oil production activities Venetian
Since its founding Venice had a monopoly of salt and traded in grain, processed glass and precious fabrics, bought from the mainland and many cattle, especially beef. Thanks to the aforementioned Treaty and archival documents relating to trade, we have numerous reports on food products present in Venice in those distant centuries, bought and traded even, much less news, however, we have been handed down regarding the Venetian cuisine from Middle Ages to the Renaissance, its dishes, the preparation techniques and cooking, because, in addition to the treaty before mentioned - the Cook Book - while very important, at this time we do not find any other Venetian cookbook, while abundant in southern Italy.
For the argument then we are talking about, olive oil, there are interesting news in the documents of the time, but historians have carried out extensive studies of the olive oil while important for the kitchen Venetian industry. But we know that the oil was not only for food but also for productive activities, especially two: the production of soap and wool.
As for the soap, just remember that 1 / 3 the weight of the finished product was made from oil.
From archive documents is, for example, that in 1489 Venice had a monopoly on the production of soap, which boasted an indisputable superiority over competing products in terms of whiteness and hardness, so as to prohibit the production outside of the city, concentrating their activities in his own soap, which, at the beginning of 1600 there were 17 active with 40 boilers.
The other manufacturing sector, no less significant in the context of Venetian industries of the time, the mills were in great expansion during 1500. In the carding process was essential oil, although not the same quality as that used in the feed.
Step We recalled back
Istria and parts supply by the Venetians, and that the olive and then oil, had arrived in Venice and the Veneto from Rome and from the territories belonging to Rome.
But where it comes from the olive tree? I think a quick historical transition can be useful to our examination.
Findings show the existence of the prehistoric ancestor of the olive in Italy since the Tertiary period, about one million years ago. A Mongardino, near Bologna, were discovered fossil leaves. Olive stones were found in settlements of different ages: in Menton on the French Riviera (Paleolithic, 35000-8000 BC), in El Garcel in Spain (dating from the Neolithic, 8000-2700 BC), Lake Garda (dating from the Bronze Age, 1500-1000 BC).
the Neolithic finds date back to Fasano and Torre a Mare in the south of Bari (5000 BC), confirming that in this period in Italy (7000-5000 BC), the olives were already human food.
Thanks to many archaeological finds, the traditional tales and religious texts, we can say that the origins of the olive and its cultivation dates back to around 6 / 7000 years ago in Asia Minor, probably in the territories that stretch from the Caucasus, the western slopes of the plateau of Iran and the Mediterranean coasts of Syria and Palestine.
The spread of the olive and its cultivation took place gradually, first to Egypt and then, thanks to intense commercial activity of the Phoenicians, between the ninth and eighth centuries BC, Greece, becoming one of the pillars of Hellenic civilization, finally around the Mediterranean basin.
And, in later centuries, the cultivation of olives from Greece is up north, along the Adriatic coast, then along the Dalmatia, Istria up and extend to the islands of the eastern Adriatic coast to the Kvarner .
the same time, with the birth of Magna Graecia in southern Italy, the olive tree was, together with the vine, the plant most widely cultivated throughout our south.
And now a curiosity. As oil is extracted at the time? In the island of Santorini was found old mill, dating back to the Mycenaean (1600-1000 BC). It consists of a stone basin where they laid their olives, and a convex stone, which crushed the cadendovi above. The paste thus obtained was placed in baskets above the other, pushing each other to let out a liquid composed of vegetable water and olive paste. From this, after a period of settling, the oil would eventually surfaced. This very simple and similar systems preceded the invention of the mill.
oil in the Bible
According to an ancient Israeli law, the first oil was produced by an olive tree with a seed that fell from heaven on earth on the grave of Adam, on top of Mount Tabor . A gift from God, then, for Jews, whose culture takes the anointing, as we read in the Old Testament, religious significance, a sort of appointment, reserved for kings and priests and the religious meaning the oil has also preserved in the Catholic religion and it is used, for example when administering some sacraments, like Baptism, Confirmation and the Sacrament of the sick.
How then can we not think, by the way found peace and hope, the olive branch that the dove went to the beak to the end of Noah's flood? The oil, like wine, has always been something more than just a fruit of the earth.
Christianity appropriated, in fact, of all the positive images related to the olive oil and turning it into one of the earliest symbols of the new religion.
As we know, the early Christians were opposed to the pagan worship of trees, but the olive tree, even though the tree was sacred to Minerva, but he emerged stronger and its branches are blessed in churches the Sunday before the feast of Easter, that the "Palm Sunday".
And the Gospel also tells us that Jesus spent his last hours in prayer grove of Gethsemane, which is still well and visitors, and boasts some of the oldest olive trees in the world.
should also be noted that when the Roman civilization reached its height in the first century of the modern era, the olive was one of the most developed branches of agriculture.
From Rome to the modern age
With the rise of the Roman Empire reached the olives, in fact, the maximum extent and intensity, with the introduction of advanced systems and storage oil distribution. Even before the empire, the Republican era, namely from the second century BC, the olive tree was introduced by Roman legions in our region.
At this time the first classification of plants and various types of olives and marketable Gaius Pliny distinguishes 15 different species of olive trees. Trade, under the Romans, were regulated by a kind of bag, the "ark oil and oil transportation was provided by a dedicated fleet. With the fall of and following the barbarian invasions that caused severe damage to agriculture, olive growing almost disappeared and were supplanted by olive groves that fallow forests s'andarono extending in all areas no longer cultivated. In the Middle Ages
olive oil became very rare and valuable, even in our region. The few remaining groves were mostly fortified in some monasteries and estates, and the destination of olive oil was mainly liturgical, since the kitchen was almost completely returned to the animal fat. Towards
8-9th century, mainly thanks to the Benedictine monasteries, also present on the mainland Veneto-Friuli, olive growing again began to assert itself with the creation of large olive groves and with a further boost trade, which reached the ' apex during the Renaissance period, in which the consumption of oil oil experienced a slow but steady revival, especially in central-south of Italy, but also, albeit much less, in suitable areas of the North.
From 1600 onwards its spread had a significant increase in the olive groves and became a distinctive feature of the Italian landscape and particularly the south-central.
At this time one of the most important technological innovations in the oil sector: the application of water power to mills that replaced the mill, until then operated by hand or using animals.
But, just at the beginning of 700, and specifically in 1709, a terrible and long cold winter slew almost all olive trees existing in the lands of Venice, for which there was a general return to the lard and pork fat, especially in rural areas, where they could use oil, imported of course, alone, and they, too, not always, when they arrived for the Venetian nobles holiday and a few rich merchants, landowners or large merchants.
Today, olive cultivation area from 30 ° to 45 ° latitude north, a strip with a temperate climate.
These features are found throughout the Mediterranean Coast and especially in Italian, so that international experts say the best are those that grow olives in the Italian peninsula, where the variety of land and the efficient production techniques allow the realization of a quality product, well above the world average.
In Italy, olive cultivation, covers approximately 1,180,000 hectares, the regions that hold 60% of the national area planted with olive trees are in Puglia, Calabria and Sicily.
Back in Venice
We focus now our attention to Venice where, Medieval and Renaissance oil imported in the city was a product not only used in homes of the aristocracy and, as we have seen in the soap and wool, being in such quantity to meet a demand that came from other states, ie days. For this reason, the oil was placed under supervision by the authorities ration Venetian, in line with the legislative tradition of the city and for two reasons: firstly because there are in Venice, then to a gain state, by taxing the export
Already in 1302 the Republic had established that only 50% of imported oil could be exported, half of it, then, was to remain in Venice in warehouses monitored by the appropriate Visdomini Ternaria the ground that that amount was enough food and industrial needs of city. However, in During 1300, almost certainly for a greater flow of oil, the export permit was extended to two-thirds or even, for a time, three quarters of the quantity imported, while remaining at the discretion of Ternier (those who were responsible for ensuring on the oil) that such trade if it required the needs of the city.
Imports were therefore still meet the required internal and some years before the middle of the century, having been an influx of lower oil exports represented only 10% of imports. And in 1700 there were even more than exports, due to a strong reduction of trade of the Republic, even in imports, so that the oil no longer sufficient for domestic needs, resulted in products that reached the highest monetary values.
areas of supply
But where he bought the oil imported to Venice? During the sixteenth century to be more oil was imported from Puglia, considered the best for quality and durability and as required by international markets, so the ability to control the oil in terms of political economy was the demonstration of force a trading power, as Venice was just at that time. In 1700
But the situation is reversed. The oil from Puglia largely escape the control of Venice, falling into the hands of the major colonial powers of the time, France, England and Holland.
Other competitors were then established in the Adriatic during the 700, the last century in the history of the Republic of Venice, Trieste and Ferrara first, robbing traders whose consumption and exports of Venice, a much sought after item, as well that Venice had been reduced to a few ships and the rich nobles had transferred their interests from trade to agriculture, they had bought in the last two centuries large tracts on the mainland and built magnificent mansions campaign, Venetian Villas that we know.
The best times at the end of the sixteenth century - in the years 1592-98 when they were imported an average of approximately 71,000 tons annually, of which only 11% was reserved for food, 50% were re-exported and the remainder, 39%, went to meet in the manufacture of soap and wool - that time in the 700, unfortunately, seemed a distant memory.
As we know the battle of the Agnadello May 14, 1509, lost by the Venetians, began the slow decline of the Republic and the economic situation became particularly heavy on the mainland.
but we know that Venice, as confirmed Carlo Goldoni extensively in his plays, he was always well stocked with food, including was olive oil which was considered crucial to the cuisine of the patricians.
The decadence of the Republic
We said earlier that the main oil imports came from the Republic of Puglia, but these, as we have seen, came inexorably decreasing since the early decades of 600.
To continue to have the oil needed Venice then turned to production of olive oil Istria, Dalmatia, Albania, Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Candia. These areas that were or had been Venetian went to flank with their existing oil production around Lake Garda and the foothills, which in the late Middle Ages had already acquired a certain importance, but which were certainly not sufficient to meet the needs of the population even in the rich area that has always preferred the oil to animal fat.
On the other hand, the weight of taxation in a Venetian was to join economic and trade situations that did not stop deteriorating. Needless to believe that Venice in his last two centuries was in desperate need of revenue to meet even the salaries of state
recall that in 1630 Venice and its region were affected by the plague, from which the Venetian economy would recover with much difficulty and never completely, and in any case with the deep restructuring that would have reopened the games between the city podestà of Venice and the mainland; but what about the presence and use of oil on the mainland, except in the areas of production, there continues to be a lot of shortage.
After 1630 the economic situation, already in decline, becomes progressively more difficult for the weakening of the fiscal and administrative capacity of the Republic, in reaction to growing unrest in the import and movement of product within the boundaries of the state, the other by a thinning of the objective product, a phenomenon that could not determine a number of repercussions.
The first aspect, namely the increasing difficulties of the tax Venetian, is certainly to be attached to the excessive number of import duties, leaving the city of Venice and the second destination, as well as their weight. Result was that the Venetian oil became more expensive and less competitive than the oil that came from neighboring regions of poaching, especially by the Ferrarese, and that circulated smuggled along the Po and other rivers that mark the boundaries of the state .
Regarding the availability of the product, the clear impression one gets is that the documents had been overlooked, especially during the 1700s, the proliferation of a variety of substitutes for olive oil, of all types and quality - linseed oil walnut oil, rape seed oil to that of rape - in the wake of the expansion of these oils, however, as was the case in other European countries (rapeseed oil, or colsat , for example, came from the Netherlands).
E 'now established that during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries olive oil was not present or was very low - only used in special circumstances and for certain dishes - the homes of the inhabitants of mainland and in the home of towns and cities of Venice. However, what appears certain is that during 1700 it did before to population growth and increasing demand of the product, especially in the homes of the gentry in the countryside, in those of traders and merchants, with the supply of oil Second quality.
It was before those changes in other words food for medium-long term, the repercussions of which on the mainland will continue until the first half of last century, that is until the last war, with repercussions still present, so that in the supermarkets 'olive oil of unknown origin is still the master than the oil extra-virgin Italian origin.
After the famous plague of 1630 we witness, for example, an expansion of the cultivation of corn for food and polenta went progressively replacing the bread, and often in the poorest families, other foods, giving rise to the sad phenomenon of pellagra, which lasted until the first half of last century.
And ever since then, there was a sharp increase in the purchase of Norwegian cod, then we call the English, namely cod, since it was very cheap, so that the Veneto continues to be still and by far the first customer of the Lofoten cod.
Also in 700, date kinda sad the situation of the Republic, grew and spread smuggling, while the provinces furthest from Venice (Brescia and Bergamo in particular, but Verona and Rovigo) falls outside the requirement to obtain supplies in Venice. Statistics tell us that we have at the end of Venice 700, with approximately 138,000 inhabitants, could count on no less than 15 pounds of oil per person per year (about 9 liters), against a consumption of only two pounds of oil (l . 1.2) per capita in the Mainland who had more than two million inhabitants.
However, these quantities compared to other European countries - such as Valladolid, Spain, in the latter sixteenth century, where every resident had available approx. two liters of oil per year - show us a picture of relative abundance. In any case, the disproportion between Venice and the rest of his land is evident.
The latest evolution
All documents and statistics confirm that in centuries past Venice olive oil has always been there and that was usually employed in the kitchens of Venice, often with butter, but most of all was present in the palaces of the nobility, wealthy merchants and bureaucrats, not the homes of the common people. We also say that the Venetian nobles when they arrived in country villas for the summer holiday continued to use in their kitchens as olive oil, butter.
We also know that in other suitable areas of the mainland of Venice is always cultivated the olive tree, and that this happened after the Roman era, initially in the properties of the monasteries, then in those of the patricians or other large landowners in Hill, who places the product obtained, available for sale in commercial channels controlled by the state.
We also know that the presence of olive trees on the mainland suffered a blow with the icy winter of 1709.
And then, when oil came into the homes of farmers in our area? When is the rich nobles and other owners of high-wealth that could buy the oil used in their kitchens, this oil arrived in the Veneto countryside, outside the homes of the rich villas of the Venetian?
The answer is very simple. Olive oil has arrived in country houses as well as in those of the Venetian cities of the mainland, along with the steak, that is, except the usual exceptions, only fifty years ago. It is therefore a recent development dating back only to the second half of last century.
Now times have changed. A more widespread awareness of the value and importance of olive oil, especially olive oil oil, begins to occur since the past 70 years and it is only in the last few decades that in Italy there is a hive of activity, even in the North, in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia and aimed at establishing the olive with the extension of areas cultivated with olive trees and a greater knowledge and more extensive use of extra virgin olive oil.
There is still a long way to go, but it is clear that the olive oil as a key ingredient of our kitchens and our food, is an achievement that starts from the bottom, initiatives like this, and how many others that are celebrated throughout Italy to make known, appreciate and use more and more food that has this jewel in Italy's ideal habitat.
Before the conclusion, however, allow me a notation and an invitation.
In Italy, half the oil that we find on the market is not Italian, and when you do not know at the source does not even know how and where they were cultivated with olive trees, as they have been treated, how it was produced that oil, even though in many cases it is a good extra virgin olive oil.
Then the cost. From investigations carried out carefully through a magazine that I run for over twenty years, the average cost of a liter of extra virgin olive oil can not be less than the eight Euros. If we find that costs less is not us but one more little thoughts. If it costs more, then comes into play the law of the market, so as an increasing demand for a product increases the price.
That said, the invitation is to always use extra virgin olive oil, choosing among the great Italian DOP products and those produced in the Veneto region are, as is now well known to all, among the best ever.
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