Italian-Aussie olive oil makers vie for prize in Melbourne

(AGI) Melbourne, 21 Oct - Seven Italian-Australian olive oilproducers competed in Melbourne for the "Grande Olio d'Oliva2015" prize. The participants were businessmen andprofessionals who own their own olive groves and have a passionfor producing olive oil as a means to maintain a connectionwith the traditions of their places of origin: Sicily andCalabria. All of the oils were produced with Italian machineryin order to guarantee their quality. A specialised juryselected the best olive oil: the Trovatello family's, which hasits roots in Nicastro, near Catanzaro. The Trovatello brothersown a grove with 8,000 olive trees in the Macedon Ranges, ahilly and picturesque area north of Melbourne. The contest wasorganised by the Italian consulate general in Melbourne and theSchiavello furniture producer. The owner, who recently receivedan award for his services to Italy, is of Calabrian origins andtook part in the competition with his own olive oil, which waschosen by the public as their favourite. As consul Marco MariaCerbo noted while bestowing the prize, "the production of oliveoil is one the Italian traditions that have marked our presenceabroad the most". (AGI) . .