"Adopt" An Authentic Italian Olive Tree

The family run business Tre Olive is offering a taste of Italy by allowing customers to "adopt" authentic Italian olive trees, then enjoy the harvest of the extra virgin olive oil from their own trees.

It's the perfect, unforgettable gift for food lovers this holiday season.

According to new research from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, consumers have returned to specialty foods like olive oil with a big increase in spending this year. Quality olive oil can turn a good dish into a great dish.

Tre Olive was started by three cousins and the family has owned olive oil mills in Calabria, Italy since 1934. Many of the trees in the Tre Olive grove are nearly a century old and the temperature and climate are perfect for growing olives. All are cared for by hand by dedicated family members who have worked in the groves for decades, with experience that has been passed on through generations. Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil and Tre Olive's extra virgin olive oil meets the standards of the International Olive Oil Council.

The process to harvest the finest extra virgin olive oil begins with the tilling of the land at the beautiful Southern Italy grove. Careful pruning by hand, masterful nurturing through tree growth, hand-picked harvesting with perfect, optimal timing and advanced pressing techniques make up the process to create the Tre Olive extra virgin olive oil.

"We wanted to create a unique opportunity for our customers that allows them to be a bigger part of what we do," said Joe Maruca of Tre Olive. "When you receive the olive oil from your tree in the spring, it means more, it tastes amazing and it comes with a story that you can share with your family and friends."

Olive oil is now the third best-selling cooking oil in the United States. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat and, unlike butter, lard and other fats, contains a large proportion of easily digested fats and no cholesterol. Olive oil is also a good source of vitamin E, which is thought to help protect against cancer and heart disease. Italy is known to product the highest rated olive oils in Europe.

With the adoption of a tree for a year, at a cost of only $110, olive oil lovers receive:

A customized hard-cover display holder with a certificate of adoption beautifully gift wrapped.
An informational brochure and welcome letter.
A photo of the adopted tree, with all its graceful beauty and naturally imperfect glory.
Your tree is tagged with your name for the adoption year.
Three liters of extra virgin olive oil from the adopted tree will arrive in the spring.

For more information or to adopt a Tre Olive tree, visit www.treolive.com.