Helene Anderson
New member
I had heard of the place before but had never been to the little workshop where walnut oil was made until this summer.
I don't know if it was like walking into the past but there were things that reminded me of childhood, probably the level of the lighting, reminiscent of Dad's garage on an autumn Saturday afternoon which had two very low wattage bulbs to illuminate the place. At the huilerie there was a mix of lighting, some daylight from a large window (facing north), flourescent strip lights and ordinary light bulbs.
But the smell, that was incredible, really there was an autumnal burnt smell about the place from the walnuts as they were heated to about 90°c.
The owner was quite keen to have visitors to show the process of making the oil. He had taken over the workshop from his father about thirty years ago. People arrive with walnuts from their gardens by the sack load and they are then crushed. Next heated with a very small amount of water added in the 'drum' pictured below.
Them next step is that they are placed in layers, spaced by a material rather than having the whole mass of walnuts pressed as one. There were two presses that pretty much dominated one end of the work shop. I was told that the pressure of these presses was 300kg per cm². So, if the press was a jack it would be able to lift an object of 400 tons.
Slowly the press started to work. I thought the press would come down from the top but it is the vats that contain the paste that are pushed up towards the press. After a while the fresh walnut oil started to run.It took a while for the press to move, at least before any movement was visible. Once the presing had finished the oil was place in drums for two days to allow the sediment to settle then it is put into botlles to be sold. I bought a bottle of the oil. I think it is really meant for salads but I do put it on meat that is being cooked if ever I want to recreate the cosy feeling of autumn.
The owner (pictured above) has now retired and someone else (from outside the family) has bought the place so the oil production here continues. It was one of the most enjoyable 'shoots' and when I asked the owner if he minded if I put the photos on my blog he was most keen, wanting his name and the address of the oil shop to appear.
I don't know if it was like walking into the past but there were things that reminded me of childhood, probably the level of the lighting, reminiscent of Dad's garage on an autumn Saturday afternoon which had two very low wattage bulbs to illuminate the place. At the huilerie there was a mix of lighting, some daylight from a large window (facing north), flourescent strip lights and ordinary light bulbs.
But the smell, that was incredible, really there was an autumnal burnt smell about the place from the walnuts as they were heated to about 90°c.
The owner was quite keen to have visitors to show the process of making the oil. He had taken over the workshop from his father about thirty years ago. People arrive with walnuts from their gardens by the sack load and they are then crushed. Next heated with a very small amount of water added in the 'drum' pictured below.
Them next step is that they are placed in layers, spaced by a material rather than having the whole mass of walnuts pressed as one. There were two presses that pretty much dominated one end of the work shop. I was told that the pressure of these presses was 300kg per cm². So, if the press was a jack it would be able to lift an object of 400 tons.
Slowly the press started to work. I thought the press would come down from the top but it is the vats that contain the paste that are pushed up towards the press. After a while the fresh walnut oil started to run.It took a while for the press to move, at least before any movement was visible. Once the presing had finished the oil was place in drums for two days to allow the sediment to settle then it is put into botlles to be sold. I bought a bottle of the oil. I think it is really meant for salads but I do put it on meat that is being cooked if ever I want to recreate the cosy feeling of autumn.
The owner (pictured above) has now retired and someone else (from outside the family) has bought the place so the oil production here continues. It was one of the most enjoyable 'shoots' and when I asked the owner if he minded if I put the photos on my blog he was most keen, wanting his name and the address of the oil shop to appear.
