Three utensils specially designed to enhance the olive oil tasting experience.
Created in a collaboration between Italian designer Astrid Luglio and Mariella Caputo, sommelier, master oil maker, and co-owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Taverna del Capitano in Nerano, the Famiglia Oliva (Oliva Family) collection celebrates a quintessential part of Mediterranean cuisine: olive oil. The collection was designed for Eleit, a company that brings together design and artisan methods to promote traditional Italian cuisine. Famiglia Oliva comprises three utensils that translate tasting gestures into archetypal forms. Specially designed for dosing, tasting, and enjoying the scent of olive oil, the items also reference the main elements needed to grow olive trees. Gea represents the earth, Elio the sun, and Pigi the spring. All three tools work together to create a convivial space at the dining table and bring people together as they enjoy a meal in the typical warm atmosphere of Mediterranean hospitality.
A ritual that involves all senses.
Each object has a specific purpose and plays a different part in the olive tasting ritual. For example, Gea is the “bread and oil” dish. Elegantly curved, it gives a nod to ancient traditions of welcoming guests. The design encourages the user to enjoy every crumb and drop of oil. Elio is a vessel that provides the perfect solution to both measure the ideal amount of oil and to serve it. This vessel minimizes oxidation and also helps to avoid waste. Finally, Pigi focuses on enhancing the olfactory experience. The user needs to hold the vessel by the olive leaf-shaped handle and smell the oil through the large rounded opening. Inhaling the sweet and intense scent prepares the user for the tasting stage, ensuring a multi-sensory experience.
The Famiglia Oliva collection comes to life in Naples, Italy. Master artisans from the historical Rua Catalana area craft each object by hand from tinned brass and copper. Eleit collaborated with DLISH to launch the collection in a cultural and foodie tour held in Naples. The two brands also created a special gift box edition of the series. It includes the three tasting tools as well as a DOP extra virgin olive oil from the Amalfi Coast. The Famiglia Oliva collection is available now in the Eleit online store, either as individual items or as a complete set. Photographs © Beatrice Della Volpe.
