Check out that Olive Oil!

My last day at Petraia was today, it didn't start perfectly or how I had thought it would have. But it ended the way I hoped it would. It ended the way the best days do, around a table with friends. Once again I find myself typing away as we are about to sit down to another dinner together - that we all help make in one way or another. And we sit down together as friends. While it's true we are a few people shy of where we started but in life it is quality not quantity. Tonight there will only three at the table, but the day is ending on a great note! Thank you Susan for the lovely cookbook and gifts, it was truly appreciated! I will miss the team at Petraia! Take care guys!

Olive harvest... Yes it is that time of year here! When I knew I was coming during the fall it was one of the things I was most excited about. And to be completely honest, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding memories of my time here. We went to where the olive oil is actually pressed. We all have memories of smells or food that stay as fresh in our minds for years, for me that will be the smell of fresh olive oil being pressed. The smell overwhelmed the building, we all knew standing there that we will remember that for the rest of our lives. Starting with bins and bins of olives the most famous kinds of olives for oil are Florentino, Moraiolo, Leccino, Morellino. Then when you see the vibrant green oil coming out at the end it's incredible!!! 

I had the opportunity to not only help Petraia with their olive harvest but also Locanda DiCuccini. So between the two I have enjoyed a couple days out in the warm fall sunshine harvesting. Traditionally you have olive nets you lay them on the ground under the tree and then you just go pick all the olives you can, they drop on the net and then you pour them into the bin. The great part when you do have older trees it sometimes requires climbing the tree to reach all of the olives, or a ladder. So there we were in the fall sun spending the day climbing trees and picking olives! If anyone ever finds themselves in Italy around this time of the year you should see if you can find someone who needs a hand with olive harvest. What more can you ask for in the middle of November?

When people talk about the things to see in the world, one place seems to always make the list. I can now officially say I have seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Morgan, Sarah and I went to Pisa the other day as we had to drop Morgan off at the airport. Then Sarah and I took a nice walk through the streets of Pisa on route to the tower. Did I mention all of the towns here have Christmas light hanging in the streets already?  I haven't seen them get turned on but every town has them up including Pisa! I've attached a picture of Sarah and I by the tower. Who knew a bell tower that took 177 years in total to complete and was built on unstable ground causing it to lean to one side would become so famous?

I hope everyone enjoyed the Chefs Association meeting on Monday, I hear someone celebrated his 50 Birthday... Mr President Chef Geoffrey Couper!! I look forward to see everyone next month at Manteo for the December Meeting, it will be nice to be back at work!

 

Cheers!!!