subject: Myth And Legends About Olive Oil [print this page] Olive oil is a so valuable product for the health and for the diet, that in many Mediterranean countries, it is even considered a sacred food.
Therefore it is no accident that about the origins of what we can be evenly defined as "liquid gold" circulate numerous myths and legends. The ancient Greeks tell, for example, that the olive cultivation has taken place following up a furious fight between the wisdom goddess, Athena, and the sea god, Poseidon.
Poseidon hit a rock from which tumble out an horse, a valuable aid in war, while the goddess Athena plunged a spear into the ground that gave rise to an olive tree. The Athena"s gift was considered the most precious gift and so the city of Athens took her name.
The olive tree ability to resist to the bad weather, to the passing of time and its capacity to adapt in the most inaccessible areas, has meant that the oil was associated to rituals, both sacred and magical. The extravirgin olive oil is used in fact for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and extreme unction, but also to absolutely profane activities as the ritual of the evil eye or sabbatical rites.
In the past, its use was sipped, since the product was restricted only to rich tables. Luckily today the olive oil is on the tables of all Italians.
The newest trend about olive oil is the aromatic oil, such as truffle olive oil , lemon oil and orange olive oil. There is an oil for everybody!
