29/11/2017
It is the time for oranges, lemons and olives at the Finca el Clot
Winter is approaching, and it is time to collect these fruits from the farm, Finca El Clot in Villajoyosa, our colleagues Gaspar and Toñi, have been working all year so you can enjoy them in a big way at the Hotel Montíboli.
Now it is time to collect the Mediterranean delights such as the oranges, lemons, and olives. It is these products that we are going to focus on for this publication, although we are also at the perfect moment for the collection of certain vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, cabbage and broccoli, products indisputably characteristic of our Mediterranean diet.
In this spectacular 14,000 square meters farm, the best ecological techniques are put into practice. In fact, after a meticulous selection, they arrive directly to the tables of the Montíboli Hotel, since they have no distance to be transported they are called kilometer 0 products.
Olive oil from the farm El Clot
Our olives, although they are perfect to take to the table as an aperitif, they are fundamentally destined to obtain the best olive oil. An extra virgin olive oil that will ensure your salads are the best starters for your meals at the Montíboli.
The varieties of olives that are worked on our farm are manzanilla and alfafara
At our Farm El Clot in Villajoyosa, we produce as many olives as possible each year, among which we always select the highest quality. The goal, is to get the best extra virgin olive oil. So, you can enjoy this essential ingredient in your meals and dinners during your getaways and holidays in Villajoyosa.
Here we see how our staff collect some olives at the point of optimum ripeness. It is essential that the olives are collected directly from the tree, making use of the most traditional techniques and in a way, that does not harm the fruit, as what we intend is to get an oil in excellent condition.
The olive has always to be at 50% maturity. It must maintain its characteristic green color so that our oil is of an extreme quality.
Specifically, last Friday, November 17th, Gaspar invited us to live in the first person, how they carry out the usual process of harvesting olives at the Finca El Clot. As it is always at the end of this penultimate month of the year, when we start to pick those olives from which we extract that delicious liquid gold that makes the Hotel Montíboli's salads so personal and special.
That afternoon, we were able to witness the traditional pruning of the olive tree, collecting 140 kilos of boxes full of olives. In fact, every year, around this time, they send to the mill, around two thousand kilos of olives.
Of this amount we would get a yield of 20%, since only the olives of extreme quality are selected. Some 200 litres per 100 kilos of olives are produced in this way.
Finally, we obtain a magnificent oil without additives, perfect to accompany and season your dishes.
The Oranges at the Finca El Clot
Winter has arrived, as has the time for oranges, we already have collected one of the earliest varieties of oranges.
But carrying out a proper process of growing oranges is much more complicated than it seems, therefore, all those that arrive at the Hotel Montíboli, have passed through a careful process which is carried out on the product of course is controlled and pampered to the maximum. Therefore, we always select only the highest standard of fruit, to meet our requirements when choosing them, and we do so with the firmest intention to offer you the best oranges.
Even so, the collection takes place in a staggered way on different dates, the Nabelina orange being the earliest variety. It is a very productive citrus typology, which can also be stored in a cool place for about two months, maintaining its excellent flavor at all times.
Another variety that we start picking shortly (usually a couple of weeks after starting with nabelina) is the Clementina orange, which is characterized by a magnificent sweet taste and a low caloric value.
We will also soon begin with the collection of red grapefruit, a variety which is between the orange and lemon, characterized by an intermediate flavor between sweet and bitter. It is ideal to consume on an empty stomach during the winter months, as it also helps keep your immune system on guard against the arrival of the cold.
At the end of January or the beginning of February, our colleagues from the El Clot farm will start collecting the Late Lane orange. This typology is an excellent option, both for juice and for table consumption.
Then last of all is the Valencia late orange, which starts in April. It is the ideal orange for juices, and is an authentic delight to take cold during the hottest months.
These magnificent varieties of citrus most representative of our Valencian land, take around 4 or 5 years to give a good production.
In each campaign year, an approximate amount of 40,000 kilos of oranges in the different varieties are obtained in the Clot.
Lemon time in El Clot
We are also in an ideal area for the cultivation of lemons, since this requires a specific climate at all times, and the Mediterranean has the ideal temperatures to obtain quality productions.
Every year at the Servigroup Hotels Finca El Clot, an amount of about 40 thousand kilos of lemons are collected.
The earliest is the fine lemon, in which we are already starting to work on our farm. On the contrary, the Berna lemon is later and lasts until September.
A correct treatment during the entire cultivation process is essential to obtain a good product, both in the case of orange trees and in the case of lemon trees. For example, when watering, especially lemons, they need a constant and abundance of water. In fact, localized irrigation is used at the El Clot. It is the best way for lemons to grow to a higher quality, and in turn will surprise you for its extraordinary flavor.
It is a localized and automated drip irrigation, which consists of extracting water from one of our wells, which after passing through powerful filters, reaches the area of lemons and oranges for a more than effective irrigation.
The lemon is the fruit with fewer calories, and although you probably do not consume it as fresh fruit, it is ideal as an accompaniment to many of those dishes that you will taste in our Emperador Restaurant at the Hotel Montíboli.
We will be waiting for you in our Servigroup Montíboli Hotel so that you can check out the quality of these products that we are working 365 days a year for, always making them available to you in our Restaurant Emperador and in our Alhambra Terrace.
