Each aloreña olive is cracked before the curing process. The traditional natural brine is made of water and salt, and the “crack” facilitates the natural fermentation. The crack and firm texture of this olive also makes it perfect for custom marinades. The aloreña olive, also known as Malagueña in certain areas, is the only olive from Spain with a D.O., Denomination of Origin.
In natural brine curing, the Losada olives are brined in tanks within 24 hours of the harvest. The brine is simply sea salt and water along with small percentages of lactic, absorbic, and citric acid. Natural Brine curing takes 9-12 months of curing vs. 3 months with lye curing.
Typically in Spain, aloreña olives are served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh thyme.
For over 50 years, Aceitunas Losada has produced table olives in Carmona, Spain, near Seville. A family owned company, Losada controls the entire process from hand harvest in their own groves to curing. In February 2014, Losada broke ground on an onsite packaging facility, the final step in their farm to “table olive” movement. The current generation owners, Luis and Maria Losada have transformed this traditionally commercial olive operation into a leader of innovative, artisanal food production. While the company has all of the infrastructure of a traditional plant, their focus has turned to resurrecting forgotten varieties and reverting back to natural curing methods. This brother and sister combination believe that in order to progress, they must go back in time.