Olivina in Livermore, California – An Interview with owner Charles Crohare I have known the Charles Crohare family, from Olivina in Livermore, for over 10 years. Charles shared with me the history of the family estate. Julius Paul Smith, an early pioneer in the California olive oil industry, carved out 2,000 acres of the beautiful […]
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Festivals, Food, and Fun: 2016 Olive Harvest Adventure
The 2016 Olive Harvest Adventure was filled with Festivals, Food, and Fun. The seasonal products in autumn are my favorites: truffles, chestnuts, porcini mushrooms, vino novello (the new wine) and especially, olio nuovo (the new olive oil). It is also the season for wild boar, pheasant, and rabbit. In addition to harvesting olives for 1/2 day […]
Taste and Test Olive Oil: La Prova del Pane (The Bread Test)
My Olive Harvest Adventure tour features tasting Olio Nuovo (new olive oil). One way to test and taste olive oil is with “la prova del pane” (the bread test) or the ritual of the fett’unta (oiled slice), a simple ceremony that celebrates the new olive oil harvest each year. On my Olive Harvest Adventure tours, […]
World Pesto Championship in Genoa
In April, I traveled to Italy to serve as a journalist for the World Pesto Championship in Genoa. This event is held every two years. One hundred participants, who had won local pesto contests from around the world, assembled at the grandiose Palazzo Ducale. With secret family recipes and techniques, most contestants brought their own marble […]
New Year's Resolution #5: Learn more about Olive Oil!
Expand your knowledge by exploring the world of olive oil! Here are some tips: 1. Host your own olive oil tasting party with tips from my book, The Passionate Olive. 2. Contact The Passionate Olive for a special event or olive oil dinner at info@thepassionateolive.com. We can create an informative and fun party where guests […]
Olive Oil and the Olympics
There’s something so thrilling about the Olympics that it’s hard not to be a huge fan. I’ve attended several Olympics in LA, Barcelona, and London. While extensive media coverage dominates the airwaves , I don’t recall any of the reporters mentioning the importance of olive oil to the Olympics and the athletes. Olive oil and the […]
The World's Largest Frittata
Last November, during my Olive Harvest Adventure trip in Italy, I participated in a frittata-lover’s dream come true – an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for making the world’s largest frittata. The event was held in Fabro, a small medieval hamlet in Umbria, dominated by an 11th century castle and surrounded by thick […]
EVOO & U: Educating students about olive oil
I am often asked to present at Culinary Arts and Food classes in high schools. My course title: EVOO & U is interactive, fun and educational. The interactive part was the “Taste Test” where students tasted two quality extra virgin olive oils and one major supermarket brand. Students were able to discern the difference and […]
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