EXTRA Juniper Berries production: the Casalvento quality that lends a unique Tuscan character to many London Dry Gin brands. Casalvento harvests Juniperus Communis berries every year from its own specialized, certified organic crops. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand, beginning in the second half of August and concluding at the end of November. After harvesting, […]
Chlorophyll synthesis is the chemical reaction by which gas and water become matter. The quintessential “green” process: decarbonization and oxygen production using a few molecules of (pure) water and a little sunlight. It all happens inside tiny organelles called chloroplasts, found in plant cells (and something similar exists in some bacteria). Biochemistry tells us that […]
Today, the enfleurage technique is neither current nor economically viable. Let me explain why. Preparing the wooden and glass frames on which to spread the animal fat was complicated, but preparing the fat itself was incredibly more arduous. The processing of these fats was explained to me well by the heirs of the Morelli family, […]
Molecule of water with its 18 AMU molecular weight and weakly polar characteristics, water can insinuate itself between organic molecules vastly larger than itself. During thermal heating, the vibrational motion naturally inherent in each molecule increases. This heat-induced agitation allows water to separate molecules much larger than itself, making them more cohesive and fat-soluble. The […]
The beverage world is constantly evolving and seeking ingredients for soft drinks that impart aroma and flavor to a category increasingly in demand among young consumers. The beverage market follows two opposing trends: enriching spirits with perfume and enriching soft drinks with taste. They are apparently two very different markets but they need the same […]
In the third millennium, some superstitions and beliefs from the past seem to have come back into fashion. Certainly is given a magical touch to a molecule of ethanol with the crude formula C2H6O. The use of foods containing alcohol is lost in the mists of time: it is said that 20,000 years ago, during […]
The alchemies of the third millennium are described by modern acronyms for widely differing production processes: WD, HD, SD for the well-known steam extraction. Other acronyms indicate more complex extraction processes: RPD, IPD, TD, HyD, DryD, SE, ASE, MAE, PLE, OHE, SWE, FD, SFE CO2….. Over the last 50 years, chemical engineers have developed just […]
From March 2 to 5, 2017, at the beautiful Cicalino estate in Massa Marittima, we gave a report at the International Conference on Essential Oils organized by FIPPO. An audience of enthusiasts, companies, entrepreneurs, and consultants enlivened the four-day event. Numerous Italian and international speakers contributed to the success of the meeting, engaging the audience […]
The prestigious and widely read monthly magazine Bio Magazine sent an editor to Casalvento to ask us a few questions. The article, titled “Lavender tells the stories and organic poetry of our land…“, simply and carefully outlines the evolution of a production project begun in Casalvento in 1962 We immediately understand that journalist Rosa Polito […]
Andrea Pagliantini explains how to making lavender essential oil on his blog. Andrea is a true, strong Chiantigiano, capable of introducing us to the most unusual and curious aspects of Chianti through his writing. His blog features pages of curiosities and daily life, controversies about misgovernment, and also entertaining stories of Chianti Storico. A professional […]
