Larian Olive Oil, a delicious treat made in Como

Did you know that in the Larian area you can find olive trees? The Larian Olive Oil is very special, even precious, as it is produced in limited amounts, and today I’ll tell you a little bit about it.

Como Lake Olive Oil: a Mediterranean story

The olive production in Como has an ancient past. It was probably the Greek colonials in the first Century who started the cultivation of olive trees on the banks of the lake. Imagine for a second the joy of finding, in the difficult and cold lands of the north, a place with suitable climate and fertile soil, to be able to start a new tradition. The harvested olives, once pressed, in the very first oil presses made of stone, produced the Larian Olive Oil that has become famous amongst the Lombard nobility and Queen Teodolinda, and furthermore with the Benedictine and Cistercian. The production has gone on ever since, and in 1997 the extra virgin Olive Oil of our area received the “Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)”, confirming its high quality and authentic taste.

The “green gold” locations

If you take a boat from the small dock of Moltrasio, just outside our Hotel Posta, you’ll arrive, after just a short trip, in the beautiful pier of Lenno, a perfect starting point if you are looking for beautiful walks along the lake and among the olive trees. Here you’ll also find 2 of the oldest and most famous oil presses in the territory. We are really close to the towns of Ossuccio and Sala Comacina, in front of the beautiful Comacina Island, who all are a part of the “oil basin”, where the inhabitants, the flavors and the soothing landscape for centuries have shaped the local culture, a culture where the olive trees are, and always have been, playing the leading role. Over all there are 29 municipalities who take interest in the cultivation of olives and the production of the Larian oil, mostly concentrated on the western shores of the lake, in the Tremezzina and the upper lake area, Triangolo Lariano (between Bellagio and Oliveto Lario) and on the shores of Ceresio (Porlezza and Valsolda).

The Larian oil has a very balanced flavor. Already by the smell you sense the light fruity aroma, and tasting it with a delicious slice of home made break you can sense the slightly spicy taste, that turns into a a bitter after taste. In the early stages the oil has a glowing green color, turning into the more classic, golden yellow after a while. The great taste of the local produce is an every day fact for us at Hotel Posta Moltrasio, like in our restaurant “La Veranda” with panoramic views, for example: stories and flavors that knows how to delight your senses, all in the peaceful environment by our lake. Armando and I can’t wait to meet you, we’re waiting for you with open arms! Come soon!