SHEFFIELD’S SINGLE ESTATE OLIVE OIL
When the owner of Nonnas restaurant in Sheffield and Chesterfield, Gian Bohan first tasted it, he knew this was the perfect Extra Virgin Olive oil to represent Nonna’s love for authentic and high quality food sourcing.
Now after eagerly and patiently waiting for nature to do its part, the second harvest of Nonnas Puglian Extra Virgin is finally here.
“Terre di Puglia” is a testament to the Rubini Family, owners of a four hectare olive grove donated to their ancestors by a feudatory (Countess Siciliano) in the middle ages. Since then, generations of Rubinis have been lovingly growing olives and handing down the grove and the knowledge to their successors. This olive oil they produce exclusively for Nonnas is a family matter rooted in tradition, history and pure passion for the land and its produce.
This year Mimmo Rubini (the son of the producer and also a waiter at Nonnas) and his family were helped by Nonnas customers who went to Puglia to pick the olives and following all the steps of making Terre di Puglia.
Sveglia! at 7am for the traditional breakfast with the local pickers at the caffe’ before dedicating the day to the harvest using both traditional “Mazzaridd”- a wooden stick with a comb shaped top which shakes the branch without hurting the plant and a somewhat more technological instrument called “Squotitore” a motor run stick with a clap which shakes the tree and makes olives fall.
After a hard days work, the olives are transported to the local mill for the “molitura” in a cave like underground stone mill. “What strikes you the most,” observes Mimmo, “is the heady smell of all the different types of olives being milled, so mesmerising you can almost taste the flavours of the olive oil to come. It is a quite unique sensory experience. One I am glad we could share with our customers so they would see how much love and dedication goes into the making of our olive oil.” It is often said “I wish I could bottle that experience,” well we think the Rubini family managed to do just that and capture in this exceptional Extra Virgin the smells, the pride and the passion and the love for their land. The proof is in the taste.
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT NONNAS/ OLIVES
• Nonna’s Terra di Puglia is a blend of the three main olives: Cima the Bitonto, Coratina and Pasola. The first provides that sweetness of taste which is necessary to harmonize the marked fragrance of oil obtained from the Coratina olive. With this blend, a fruity flavour is achieved, with notes of sweet almonds and the fragrance and freshness of ripe and healthy olives. Pasola, the little one, is a small olive packed with flavour which enriches the olive oil taste. The time which elapses between the harvesting and the milling and pressing never exceeds 44 hours.
• Nonnas “Terra di Puglia” Olive oil is on sale now at Nonnas for £11 for a 500ml bottle
• Nonnas is at 131 Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield S40 2AH, 01246 38 00 35 AND at 535- 41 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield S11 8PR, 0114 2686166 www.nonnas.co.uk
• Last year Nonnas launched their first book “Strada della Nonnas: Passion, parmesan and a six foot rolling pin,” available to buy in Harvey Nichols
• Last month, after 14 years in business, Nonnas launched its second unit in Chesterfield to much astonishment as to the location, however, the restaurant has opened to overwhelming success with a 90 seater restaurant, integrated Italian deli, upstairs lounge bar and a south- facing terrace (coming soon) for over 40 people
• Nonnas new own branded Italian product ranges are now on sale and include a range of 10 pasta and ragu sauces, Nonna’s own risotto rices (4 types) and a range of pastas (see attached picture)
• www.casadinonnas.com is Nonnas Tuscan rentable villa for 2- 10 people between Pisa and Florence; Jason Atherton of Maze enjoyed a break at the house in August with his family
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