Riding along Kotor Bay

Today we rode the edge of Kotor Bay.

The first part of the ride was very pleasant. It was warm, but flat. The road hugged the coast. And the scenery was classic mediterranean coastline.

Along the way there was a short stop at the Montenegro Naval Museum and a short cut through a bird sanctuary.

The last section of the days ride was the most challenging.  Steep and hot with no wind which made it a challenge to drink enough to avoid dehydration.

After we finished this toughest part of the day's day we stopped for lunch and a tour at an organic olive farm, followed by an olive tasting where the host/owner shared a few olive oil "pearls" with us. 

Here are a few points I found interesting.

1) Tips on tasting.
    - take a teaspoon or so, put it in a thin walled cup, and warm the cup in your hand.
   -  keep the cup covered with your other hand for a minute or so, then quickly remove your hand and take in the aroma (as you would with a glass of wine).
   - you should get two aromas.  First, freshly cut grass will be the strongest. And then you should be able to appreciate a green apple (think Granny Smith) scent in the background.

2) For the tasting itself, put a few drops on your tongue and move it from side to side several times over the tip and middle part of your tongue. Don't swallow yet.
   - it should be a bit bitter on your cheeks.
   - then swallow and if it is a good olive oil you will get a peppery feeling in your throat. Those are the polyphenols which provide the health benefits. Not peppery? Then it is either an old oil or perhaps an adulterated olive oil.

3) Harvesting and pressing
   - if the olives are crushed and pressed the same day as they are picked, it is a virgin olive oil. Wait even  a day and the olives will start to oxidize. Then it is no longer a true virgin oil.
   - "fiirst press" is not a valuable description for olive oil. All olive oil is pressed just once after being crushed. There is no "second" press, ever.
   - there is always a bit of organic material left in the oil after the press, so it needs to be left to settle for 20 days to attain clarity. This is not a taste issue, but an appearance issue.
   - the aromas (and taste) increase in complexity over 4 months or so, so tastings are typically done at 4 to 6 months. This can be aged before or after bottling.
   - olive oil will keep for 18 months at room temperature. As it ages, the peppery taste diminishes. It is still good to cook with, just not as healthy.

After the tasting, and meeting the 2 donkeys that keep the grass short in the olive grove...

... we proceeded on to the end of the road and then by private transport across the bay to our lodgings for the night.

The google photos link to all the pictures for this trip thus far.