Olive Academy
The True Flavor of Taste, Impeccable Olive Oil in Production
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Episode 1 - What a Pigeon Knows
We are embarking on a journey initiated by the "olive tree," the oldest symbol of peace in the world, and its companion, the "pigeon." In this episode, we witness the testimony of the olive tree in various mythological narratives from Adam and Eve to the present day. The significance of the olive tree in monotheistic religions is explained by Professor Dr. Beyza Bilgin from the Faculty of Theology at Ankara University and Deputy Metropolitan Vicar Raban Gabriel Akkurt.
The beginning of olive cultivation, the first olive oil extraction workshops, and the historical and morphological structure of the olive tree in Anatolia are discussed in this episode.
Associate Professor Dr. Mücahit Taha Özkaya from the Department of Horticulture at Ankara University's Faculty of Agriculture, Archaeologist Ertan İplikçi, and Assistant Professor Dr. Ümit Aydınoğlu from the Department of Archaeology at Mersin University are among the guests of this episode.
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Episode 2 - The Rich Tree of Poor Soil
The Olive. The rich tree of poor soil. They call it the miracle tree... It lives for more than a thousand years. If its trunk dies for some reason, it can revive with a tiny root piece or shoot.
This episode depicts the annual growth process of the olive tree. The flowering, budding, and fruit formation stages of the tree are followed month by month. The section describing the process from planting to harvest includes operations such as plowing, grafting, pruning, seedling production, and irrigation.
Interviews with farmers, producers, and local people from various regions accompany these stages. Among the guests of the program are Agricultural Engineer Ülker Dikmelik from Torbalı / İzmir, Dr. Mehmet Güler, President of the Eastern Mediterranean Olive Association from Adana, Seedling Producer Oktay Çancı from Orhangazi / Bursa, Seedling Producer Ayhan Akbek from Nizip / Gaziantep, Agricultural Engineer Arif Can Berköz from Mersin, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersel Yılmaz from the Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation at Adnan Menderes University, and Prof. Dr. Semih Yazgan from the Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation at Uludağ University.
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Episode 3 - Harmony with Its Leaves, Happiness with Its Golden Yellow
The olive has been the defining product of these lands for thousands of years... Therefore, it is a queen that reproduces, carrying the female elements on itself... Unlike many fruits, the olive is not eaten directly from the tree due to its bitterness. Stubborn mankind researched, experimented, and eventually developed methods to eliminate the bitterness of olives.
In this episode, we witness the processing of green and black olives into table olives and olive oil after the harvest. We witness the traditional olive oil extraction process through the narration of Archaeologist Ertan İplikçi, starting from the oldest olive oil workshop, the Klazomenai Olive Oil Workshop, located in Izmir. We also hear from industrialist İbrahim Polat, who has become a leader in this field with significant investments, about how we have reached a crucial point in technology in today's modern systems. Another topic of this episode is the various types of olive oil that add flavor to our tables.
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Episode 4 - Whatever is in Olive
Due to the inherent characteristics of the olive fruit, it cannot be consumed directly. Therefore, it is first processed as table olives and olive oil. What remains after these processes are pomace and Karasu. In this section, we listen to Scientist Faruk Durukan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdinç İkizoğlu from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Ege University, and Prof. Dr. Gülendam Tümen, Head of the Department of Biology at Balıkesir University, about the beneficial products obtained from the residues left after olive processing and various scientific studies conducted on this topic."
Anatolian Miracle Olive
Episode 5 - Whatever is in Olive
Listening to Food Engineer Ülkü Ülken, who defines adulteration as the intentional mixing of other oils into olive oil, a major problem not only in our country but also in almost all countries dealing with olive cultivation. We also hear about the importance of tasting in olive oil from Ümmühan Tibet, a member of the National Olive and Olive Oil Council, who has gained worldwide recognition in the field, and Hasan Açanal, the World President of the Mediterranean Cuisines Conservatory. Preservation and storage of olive oil, exploring its usage areas within its historical context, and the production of olive oil soap using traditional and modern methods are significant stops in this section. We gather information about products obtained from olives from Chemical Engineer Mehmet Emin Güle, Prof. Dr. Gülendam Tümen, and Scientist Faruk Durukan."