Nothing is more characteristic of Greece –except for its splendid beaches- than the
huge areas of olive trees that grow in both valleys and mountainous regions of the country. According to the Greek poet Homer, the olive tree has been thriving in Greece for over 10.000 years.
Homer was also the one to call the olive oil as
“the liquid gold”. And he was absolutely right…
Olive oil has been used for thousands of years in cooking and is one of the cornerstones of the healthy Mediterranean diet. It can be used for sautéing, browning, stir-frying, deep frying, as an ingredient in marinades and sauces such as mayonnaise, pesto or romesco, and as a condiment, drizzled over various dishes. Due to its characteristic aroma and flavor, it’s been honored and loved not only by Europeans, but also by Americans and Asian people, who show strongly their preference to the high quality Greek olive oil.

Olive oil
is rich in nutrients, and is also used for
pharmaceutical excipients and cosmetics. There are products for facial treatments, makeup removal, skin emollient, foot care, body baths and many more, all of course known for their benefits and healing nature.
Although the
exports are not those that should be, mostly due to the fact that the main quantity of olive oil production is based on small family businesses who gather the olives by hand, the truth is that their increase is one of the Greeks’
optimistic scenario about the exit from the economic crisis of the last years, which is unfortunately something that will last…