A majestic blood red sunrise greeted me in the southern Italian region of Calabria and despite the chilly 7 degrees Celsius weather I was warmly welcomed when I started my day with Pietro Polizzi, whose family is involved in extra-virgin olive oil production, from farm to bottle.

It was a thrilling experience to witness the intricate process of transforming olives picked the same day from the farm to the aromatic bottle product. On this particular day Pietro was being interviewed for a documentary with an American Non-Profit Organization, My City Kitchen, but also wanted to show us some of the scenic beauty of Calabria.

I met Pietro for the first time about four years ago when my sister Tonia and my dear friend Kashia Cave and I visited the region for the olive harvest. Pietro, though born in Calabria now lives in Vicenza, a city close to Venice in the northern part of Italy. He also works with a society in the beautiful and historic city called Padua that produces organic food. There, he works in a bakery producing organic bread and cakes.

Pietro started his day in Calabria collecting and cutting wood for the fireplace at the house where he and his mother stay during the annual harvest. His mother, Eva Longo lives in Switzerland but visits Calabria every year to help out in the olive grove for the harvest which begins in October and ends a month later.

The Pollizzi’s owns Enotre, a family business dedicated to the production of extra-virgin olive oil and continues the tradition and passion for olive cultivation.

The farm is based in an olive grove located in Calabria at the foot of the Sila Mountains and at a height of around 2000 feet, the verdant olive trees grow on steep hills.

During the harvest the hours in the hills are full of hard work, from five in the morning until sunset, sometimes under the autumn rain. Nets are carefully spread under each tree and all the olives are picked by hitting the fronds and branches of the trees.

When the olives have fallen, they are placed in cases that need to be brought uphill and then straight to the most modern methods of pressing. This allows the extraction of the oil and ensuring the highest quality product – extra virgin olive oil.

When speaking about extra-virgin olive oil one has to keep in mind that there are a lot of fake products on the market. A label may give information about acidity and the origin of olives but can lack other important information. A wonderful color is not always a good indicator of the quality of the olive oil.

Instead, scent, taste and in particular a balanced mixture of bitter and spicy, are important indicators of top quality olive oil. Olive oil tasting through dedicated non-professional courses is encouraged and an authentic supplier must be sought out.

I have complete admiration for Pietro, for his passion, hard work and commitment despite the sometimes adverse weather. He is a very warm, passionate Italian who loves to play to the stereotype with humor using mama-mia and other classic phrases to help those around him relax and not stress as they work hard gathering the harvest of ripe olives.

I am happy to share with you A Day in the Life of with Pietro Pollizzi.