A type of olive oil that is found only in Cyprus and was produced from dehydrated olives.
Name - Origin
A type of olive oil that is found only in Cyprus and was traditionally produced in the Paphos and Karpasia provinces from dehydrated olives.
Mavrolado (translated as black oil) takes its name from the very dark, almost black colour it acquires during the production process.
After the olives were collected, instead of being transported directly to the olive mill, as is the case with ordinary olive oil, they were taken at home where they were boiled in large cauldrons. After boiling them for a while, they were then spread out on blankets in the sun to dehydrate their flesh. And once they were dried out, then, they would be transported to the mill. In the Karpasia district, they used to bake the olives instead of boiling them. The resulting oil was of course the same.
This process, boiling and dehydration, causes chlorophyll to oxidise and turn into xanthophyll. The result is that the oil acquires its characteristic deep dark colour and thick texture. This simple chemical reaction explains the black colour of this famous oil.
Functional and symbolic role
It was used as an added fat in the preparation of some dishes.
Additional information and bibliography
Kythraiotou F. (2004) Τροφή, Αφορμή Σχέσης. Επτά Ημέρες, Kathimerini newspaper, Issue 28.3.2004.
Florentia Kythraiotou.