I don’t suppose you’ve ever drunk a cup of olive oil before. Well, you’re missing out.
If the cup on offer is Siwan olive oil, I urge you to drink up. At least, this is what I did when I visited an olive oil mill in Siwa.
(Sorting the leaves from the olives on Camilla’s Farm in Siwa)
It all started on my second trip to Siwa. We heard that there was an olive mill and that one could get the good stuff there for a fantastic price. Armed with no more than this rumor and a few ancient bicycles, we set off in search of the mill.
Twenty minutes and a few colorful words later, each of our rented bicycles had disintegrated into a pile of sad and sorry parts. All but one, that is. Our friend Zahra’s bicycle seemed willing to continue on this wild goose chase and so, with some trepidation and a lot of hope, I sent off this capable 16 year-old girl in search of an olive oil mill.
(Enjoying Siwan fateer with the capable Zahra on the left)
Five minutes later, her bike broke down. The universe was watching out for her, however, because the next vehicle to pass by her way was a kindly man with a truck and a load of freshly pressed olive oil. He returned her and the pile of parts formerly known as a bicycle to our hostel. I bet you can guess what happened next. He presented Zahra with several liters of pristine Siwan olive oil which – and this is the best part – she shared with me.
(Local olives on display in the Siwa souq)
Thus our obsession with Siwan olive oil was born. We found the olive oil mill on our next trip, and that was when I was presented with a cup full of olive oil for testing. Siwans pride themselves on their oil, and for good reason; even an amateur like myself can taste the difference.
(The olives get a bath at the Siwa olive oil mill)
And yet, even though Siwan olive farmers clearly know their business, mother nature sometimes has other plans. I learned on my most recent visit to Siwa that the harvest varies from year to year. Sadly, this year’s poor crop has resulted in a major dip in supply which, as any economics student can tell you, means a higher price per liter than last year.
(Olive harvest time at Camilla’s Farm in Siwa)
But what can you do? You just have to buy the olive oil. It’s win-win, really. You get delicious olive oil and you support salt-of-the-earth Siwan farmers. And the very best part? How impressed your dinner guests will be when you set out a little dish of Siwan olive oil for dipping. Bil hana wa shifa!
