Bread with oil, gold product of the village

As every 28th of February, the Andalusian people join to celebrate the Day of Andalusia, and among various events and activities that take place during this public holiday, the gastronomic richness of this land and particularly, the traditional Andalusian breakfast, bread with olive oil, plays a special part in the households, educational centers and restoration businesses paying a well-deserved tribute to these valuable local products.

Bread with oil was considered a simple, but important food in our Mediterranean diet. It is a symbol of a culture of survival and communion with Andalusian land where the olive is the province´s emblem.

It is worth to note that the olive grove cultivation - that encompasses olive oil, table olives, and olive pomace oil - is a fundamental pillar in the national agri-food system. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and based on the recent data and reports on this sector´s market situation, the Spanish olive oil production represents 70% of the European Union´s production and 45% of the global production. In respect of the surface of our country, the olive groves occupy 2,75 millions of hectares growing predominantly in the Central-South and East areas of the mainland, with Andalusia being the biggest autonous producer with 60% of the total surface.

In this sence and according to the Annual of Agrarian and Fisheries Statistics 2023/2024, Andalusia is considered the biggest region-producer with 1,65 millions of hectares and with Malaga being the fifth province dedicated to the olive production with 141.167 hectares.

Exquisite delicacy 

The degustation of bread and oil results to be nutritious and efficient whilst the consumption of olive oil helps slow down the glucemic index of the consumed bread. Therefore, we talk about a classic and healthy breakfasts, among other benefits, typical for the labourers with limited resources that gave them necessary strength and energy to work and at the same time made from the austerity a rich gastronomic culture.

During the Day of Andalusia, when they celebrate the approval of referendum on the initiative of the autonomous process of Andalusia that took place in 1980, also they pay a cultural tribute to the product and land by tasting the typical Andalusian breakfast.

A symbolic representation that takes an important place in the various institutional spaces and reference points as hospitals, residences, associations, brotherhoods, and educational centers, being in the latter case an action implemented from 2008 within the campaign ¨Get to know the Andalusian breakfast¨ and that was supported by different Regulatory Boards among which Antequera oil POD was. An exquisite and representative delicacy that Andalusian people celebrate by eating it in their homes and taverns day by day.

Varieties of bread with olive oil

Although the bread with oil is considered a typical breakfast in Spain, and especially in the Andalusian autonomus community, over the years, each autonomous region has been modifying or adding other ingredients, and from that new varieties have appeared such as, for example, a slice of bread with oil and sugar; bread with oil and garlic; muffin with oil, salt, tomato and serrano ham; or toast with butter or ´colorá´.

A treat for our palate: bread dipped in ‘‘liquid gold’’

The extra virgin olive oil known as EVOO has all organoleptic qualities to taste with a slice of bread. Because it is a highest quality olive oil. In addition, it has a good scent, colour and exquisite savour that maddens any palate. It is flawless and has special characteristics to consume it uncooked. A gold product, we can have one spoon on en empty stomach or eat with a slice of bread.

The olives of Verdial and Hojiblanca varieties give birth to the world´s best oils. It is made in the traditional mills in totally natural way. This oil is characterized by fruity taste, very sweet and pleasant on the palate.

It is worth to note some of the producers that make oil of the category Verdial in the province of Málaga as Periana Oil or Sierra de Tejeda Oil. From the other hand, there are mills producing oil of the category Hojiblanca, the most representative are: Tapia Oils and Oil from Ardales.

Furthermore, last December  the competition of Sabor a Málaga awards took place celebrating the best producer of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the Málaga province and awarding the olives from the mills Finca La Torre, Terraverne, El Labrador, and Hacienda de Colchado.

Culture about the Oil

The olive oil lovers can enjoy the culture and get knowledge about the liquid gold of our province through a publication named Route of the Oil and the Mountains of Axarquía. This tour guide offers different activities such as visit to the Periana museum of oil in Mondrón or olive picking that starts in December.

In its turn, the Málaga Provincial Council using its promotional brand Sabor a Málaga has editted the book EVOO MÁLAGA that tells about the origins, history and properties of Extra Virgin olive Oils of the province.

Benefits of EVOO and artisan bread

As curious information about the nutrition, the olive oil possesses the healthy and beneficious properties for our body. For example, it helps reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and increase the good one due to high  concentration of monounsaturated and poliunsaturated acids; reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases because it is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E; improves digestion; helps reduce the acidity and improves the absorption and bowel transit; and thanks to the polyphenol content helps prevent body ageing.

From the other hand, it is important to stress the quality and nutritious significance of the consumption of artisan bread. Today, the artisan bread making is very diverse since there are many types of artisan bread, from traditional bread made of white wheat flour to other types of breads made with seeds, oat, spelt, cereals or rye, among others, as they possess other nutrients and properties. And all of them have in common a high quality and healthy making betting on its great artisan savour.

In our province, we have different flour milling companies among which stand out Harinas la Fuensanta, Harinera el Molino or Molino de Harina Almogía, among others. Also, it is worth to mention some of the producers that put their hearts and soul on their job offering the best bread of every day such as Mi Pequeño Obrador, Panadería Ecológica la Molineta or Tres Espigas, among others.

The value of the bread

As a classic and historic business, we highlight La Curruca, the oldest bakery located in Málaga village, Coín. Today, there are few traditional businesses that pass from parents to children. This bakery posseses a medal of the fourth generation and its history reaches the age of two centuries. It is fascinating to knead the bread in the same oven of 200 years ago where its star product is cateto bread made with olive wood and is one of the most recognized breads in the Málaga province. 

Also, we must mention the most innovative artisan bakery of the Málaga province, Pan Piña, that was open in  1940, in Algatocín. A business that makes over 200 varieties of breads and also is the first bakery that kneads the most expensive bread in the world made with Quinoa and Chía, and its luxury, edible gold and silver; reaching great challenges and sucesses that seemed impossible for a mere artisan bakery. 

Among one of the successes of this bakery was to face a challenge to repeat the making of the biggest Spanish bread of167 kilos, and Pan Piña could make a bagette of 268 kilos and of 9,57 metros. But the history does not end here. Its most astonishing success is a bread made with gold and silver being the most expensive gourmet star product valued at 1.480 euros. A ‘‘simple bread’’ kneaded with top quality ingredients rock salt (removed by hand), organic quinoa, chia and oat flours, deshydrated tomato, toasted malt and hard water from the Algatocín mountains, and its luxury ingredient, a gram of edible gold and silver, that are mixed with non-transgenic corn sourdough in powder, flakes, and scales and twenty grams of flowers. An excellent gourmet bread with  ‘‘traditional savour’’ that transport you to another era.

For the amateurs and lovers of the bread, Alhaurín el Grande founded first Spanish museum, El Colmenero, dedicated to the bread, the noble profession of the baker, to the cereals, and the milling.

Gastronomic heritage

In the end, every 28th of February, day of Andalusia, the streets of Andalusia are decorated with white and green flags, with people singing the anthym of our community and tasting the typical Andalusian breakfast, an exquisite and artisan bread with olive oil, the ¨liquid gold¨ of our Land.