Ciezan olives, the Oliva Mollar de Cieza

La Oliva Mollar de Cieza

Every area of Murcia has its own unique gastronomical traditions, dictated by local climate, growing conditions and the sharp contrasts in geographical locations which make the traditional dishes of the region so distinctive.
The culinary traditions of Cieza are based on Mediterranean cuisine, with vegetables, pulses and fruits of special importance in local dishes, the agricultural economy of the town focused around the rich plains and water from the Segura River.

One of the most typical products of the locality is the famous Oliva Mollar of Cieza, which is listed as one of the most traditional foods of the region of Murcia.  This variety of olive is included in the Inventario Español de Productos Tradicionales (Inventory of Traditional Spanish Products) which is edited by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (Ministery of Agriculture, Fishing and Food) and gives a detailed description of the identity and use of this product.

The mollar de Cieza olive is from the Olea Europa Mollis variety, COLM, which is characterized by its shortened ellipsoidal shape and its large size.  The stone has a similar shape to the fruit, but it is smooth and ends in a fine tip.

This makes it particularly suitable for use in the International Olive spitting competition, the “Concurso de Lanzamiento de Huesos de Oliva” which takes place in Cieza during the Fiestas Patronales (the festivities of its Patron Saint), in honour of San Bartolome, and has become truly International in the last few years. The competition attracts a great deal of attention and this particular olive stone is the most aerodynamic of all!
The mollar Olive is exclusively used for eating, not for oil production.  It is picked in the months of August and September, when it loses its intense green colour and begins to turn yellow.  Once collected, the olives are seasoned without treating them which means that the fermentation and preservation is more delicate, but at the same time, giving a characteristic, intense and long lasting taste.

Many families in Cieza make these olives not only for their own use, but also for restaurants and bars in the locality, maintaining the tradition of this style of olive.  

There are three basic ways in which to prepare these, each taking a different length of time.  
For example: Whole olives that have been pickled with aromatic herbs are ready after just 2 months.  “Rajadas” or scored olives can be eaten earlier, whilst olives that are “chafadas o escachadasm” which basically means bashed so that the flesh cracks but does not damage the stone, are edible after only 8 or 9 days.

All 3 methods of preparation are available to sample throughout the municipality of Cieza in most bars and restaurants.