If you are familiar with wine tastings, you know the drill. Visit a beautiful vineyard, sample various white and red and maybe blush varieties, and see how they pair with crusty bread and aged cheeses. However, you may not know that you can visit a central coast California olive farm and do the same thing, only what you'll be sampling is delicious Tuscan style or Italian blend olive oil.
Descriptions of oils that describe the 'peppery taste' or the 'bold and assertive' flavor may not mean much to those of us used to the imported oils that we find on grocery store shelves. Visiting an olive farm will be the first step in your education. It could also be the highlight of your visit to the west coast.
Most of the members of the Central Coast Growers organization are small family farms, where a variety of trees are grown. Many devotees of fine olives believe that growing more than one cultivar makes a superior product. The olives of these groves are hand-harvested, and the oils are carefully blended immediately after picking.
It's fun to read descriptions of the different products and of the groves they come from. You will see that olives are picked when ripe, but green ones may be mixed in for a better flavor. The top growers look down on the imported brands sold in most supermarkets. It's true that California certified extra virgin oils have met far stricter standards than those which regulate international trade.
California certified oils proudly carry a seal awarded after each year's product is screened with chemical tests and blind tastings performed by a panel of trained specialists. The tests judge the acidity of the oil, which should be low, and the purity. The tasters are skilled at judging freshness and purity and pass only the ones that meet their high standards.
Olives were introduced to California by Spanish monks, who planted them at the missions they founded. However, by the late 1800s, only two groves remained of those early plantings. In 1900, a California blend won the gold medal as the best oil at the Paris exposition. Most American trees were imported from Italy, but you can find descendants of the mission olives on farms in the central coast area.
The Golden State has the 'terroir' for growing olives as well as grapes. Many of the farms produce both in small quantities. Terroir refers to soil, climate, and other factors that make plants flourish. Olive trees need limestone soil, superior drainage, mild weather (they do best near the sea), and lots and lots of sun. A well-established tree can live for centuries; some are believed to be over two thousand years old.
If you are intrigued with the idea of subtle nuances (as well as superior health benefits) of oils grown right here in the USA, visit the central coast and see what gourmets all over the world already know: The people of California know their olives. A whole world of health and good taste is awaiting you in the only place in the US that has what this venerable fruit needs.
Descriptions of oils that describe the 'peppery taste' or the 'bold and assertive' flavor may not mean much to those of us used to the imported oils that we find on grocery store shelves. Visiting an olive farm will be the first step in your education. It could also be the highlight of your visit to the west coast.
Most of the members of the Central Coast Growers organization are small family farms, where a variety of trees are grown. Many devotees of fine olives believe that growing more than one cultivar makes a superior product. The olives of these groves are hand-harvested, and the oils are carefully blended immediately after picking.
It's fun to read descriptions of the different products and of the groves they come from. You will see that olives are picked when ripe, but green ones may be mixed in for a better flavor. The top growers look down on the imported brands sold in most supermarkets. It's true that California certified extra virgin oils have met far stricter standards than those which regulate international trade.
California certified oils proudly carry a seal awarded after each year's product is screened with chemical tests and blind tastings performed by a panel of trained specialists. The tests judge the acidity of the oil, which should be low, and the purity. The tasters are skilled at judging freshness and purity and pass only the ones that meet their high standards.
Olives were introduced to California by Spanish monks, who planted them at the missions they founded. However, by the late 1800s, only two groves remained of those early plantings. In 1900, a California blend won the gold medal as the best oil at the Paris exposition. Most American trees were imported from Italy, but you can find descendants of the mission olives on farms in the central coast area.
The Golden State has the 'terroir' for growing olives as well as grapes. Many of the farms produce both in small quantities. Terroir refers to soil, climate, and other factors that make plants flourish. Olive trees need limestone soil, superior drainage, mild weather (they do best near the sea), and lots and lots of sun. A well-established tree can live for centuries; some are believed to be over two thousand years old.
If you are intrigued with the idea of subtle nuances (as well as superior health benefits) of oils grown right here in the USA, visit the central coast and see what gourmets all over the world already know: The people of California know their olives. A whole world of health and good taste is awaiting you in the only place in the US that has what this venerable fruit needs.
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You can visit sanpauloolivefarm.com for more helpful information about Tour A Central Coast California Olive Farm.
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