Olive Trees – The Gifts That Keep Giving
I never feel totally prepared for Christmas, but this one has been particularly sneaky and crept on me without half the time to do everything I need. So with just two shopping days left before the big day I find myself wondering what to get my nearest and dearest that is not just all the perfumes, socks and gloves I can find. This year I have decided to start making changes and opt for some conscious shopping.
Giving a present to loved ones makes us feel warm and fuzzy, knowing we have made someone (hopefully) very happy. What if you could spread this feel-good vibe around and make it last far beyond Christmas? Well now you can.
Pomora, founded by Alun Johns and Paul McGuigan, is the producer of some of the finest Italian olive oils around. The company works directly with two farmers from Italy to create authentic, high quality olive oils. A gold medal holder at the New York International Olive Oil competition, both Carmelo from Sicily and Antonio from Campania are passionate about olive oils, and given the fact that they come from a long generation of oil producers, it’s not that surprising.
With Pomora’s “Adopt an Olive Tree” initiative, not only will you give someone a year’s supply of some of the best olive oils on the market, you’ll also be supporting the olive farmers and makers behind these oils.
Alun Johns says: “We set up Pomora because we were fed-up with the poor quality olive oil on offer in our supermarkets. We wanted to create a way for people to discover how vibrant and exciting top quality olive oil can be, that would also generate a relationship between the consumer and the grower. The adoption process helps our customers appreciate and understand the work that goes into producing the finest olive oil.”
Pomora oils come in gorgeous colourful metal tins and with unique flavours such as ‘Olio D’Oliva Extra Vergine Al Peperoncino’, ‘Olio D’Oliva Extra Vergine Al Rosmarino’ or ‘Olio D’Oliva Extra Vergine Al Aglio’ – they are bound to satisfy even the most delicate palate.
There is more to olive oils than meets the mouth and many different ways to enjoy them. I have picked up a few interesting facts at a recent Pomora olive oil tasting session with Alun and Paul. There are three things to look out for when tasting olive oil – fruitiness (at the front of the tongue), bitterness (towards the back and the sides of the tongue) and pungency (felt in the back of the throat). Also, contrary to the common belief, the colour of olive oil is not predictive of its taste.
Did you know that the shelf life of olive oil is about three months after opening? There are many tasty recipes to try out so you can be sure your oils will not go to waste.
Olive Tree adoption costs £58 up front for the first two quarters, then £29 per quarter onwards.
- To find out more about adopting an olive tree, learning about the farmers, and for more information, visit www.pomora.com.
