Buoyed by the boom in foodservice in pubs around the country, award-winning family-owned Riverina producer Morella Grove is expanding its market in commercial cooking.
Morella Grove is best known for its awarded Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, but produces a range of gourmet condiments it says are well suited to pubs for use in commercial kitchens, and it already counts a number of pub clients.
“The chilli relish on our Alpaca Burger and their Peri Peri sauce on our pizza pack great flavours!” reports a spokesperson for the Berry Hotel.
“Supporting local produce and small business is the backbone of our industry, and it helps that the products taste great too.”
The company was established by the Dal Bon family, and currently operated by second-generation Frank and third-generation Natasha, his daughter.
“Farming is our livelihood and our passion,” says Natasha Dal Bon. “We love seeing the enjoyment people get from our products.”
The acclaimed olive oil comes from Arbequina (Spanish) and Frantoio (Italian) olive trees, “traditionally grown” by replicating the Mediterranean method and its climate; the Riverina’s clean environment, bright blue skies and fertile soils allow them to grow without the use of chemicals, and utilise the most sustainable environmental practises.
The Dal Bons oversee the entire process, growing, harvesting, pressing and bottling – in true ‘paddock to plate’ fashion.
“The olives are harvested in May, then processed, stored and bottled using the world’s best technology, to achieve a standard of excellence that guarantees consistent quality,” says Natasha.
Complementing Morella Grove’s extra virgin olive oil, they also offer drizzles, dressings, balsamics, jams and other condiments.
Products are sourced locally, made fresh in small batches and available in commercial quantities, with $10:00 flat-rate shipping around Australia.
*
How to make olive oil (by Morella Grove)
Set up an orchard, grow olives and pick them. Get them to the mill within a day or so to minimise oxidation and acidity. The mill grinds the olives and pits into paste, which is extruded onto plates to go into the press.
Malaxation is a slow mixing of the paste, allowing the oil-water emulsion to coalesce. Microscopic oil droplets form into larger drops.
The press in larger machines is usually centrifugal, and separates the olive juice and oil, leaving a fibrous ‘pomace’. Toss the pomace or sell it to someone who wants to chemically remove more of the oil for industrial uses, such as making soap.
Separate the oil from the water using a decanter or centrifugal separator.
Bottle the oil, keeping it away from heat and light.
A ton of fruit can produce from 12 to 50 gallons of oil.
*Extra virgin olive oil is the first press from olives and the highest-grade olive oil, with a superior taste and a rich, fruity flavour. It has zero defects and an extremely low acidity of no more than 0.8 per cent.
