The Chemlali is the most planted olive tree in Tunisia and that has a good reason: the Chemlali has managed to adapt perfectly to the scarcity of water. Even under the sweltering conditions of the blazing hot Sahara, this cultivar still manages to survive well. Because the temperatures during the night can drop to freezing point, the Chemlali is also reasonably resistant to frost. Moreover, research has shown that the Chemlali is quite tolerant to salt, which has also proven to be a good survival strategy. It is a very robust species that was already appreciated by the Phoenicians and Romans for its delicious olive oil.
That small size is of course easy to explain, because an olive is botanically speaking a berry. Because the tree can use water very economically, the olive has also had to adapt and is able to ripen with very little pulp around the seed. Many think that berries have to be sweet to tempt birds to eat them, but that is not the official definition of a berry. A berry is simply a covering to protect the seed and that is also true for an olive.
Incidentally, the chronic lack of water also means that the Chemlali ripens only slowly. Eventually it will discolour to a deep purple colour.
The fact that the Chemlali is of limited size makes it more difficult to press sufficient olive oil from that abundant harvest of olives. The extra virgin olive oil of the Chemlali has a soft, somewhat fruity smell and taste. That together with a pleasant bitter taste, followed by a familiar peppery sensation at the back of your throat.
In terms of composition we are brief, because the Chemlali also produces super healthy olive oil with a content of 55 to 59 percent of the very healthy oleic acid . This olive oil is perfect for dressings, but can also be used as an oil for frying. Although I think the latter is a bit of a waste for a good olive oil.
