Its funny how the idea of food is universal, but in essence what each individual will end up calling food is very subjective. Sometimes what we call food has a dual role as a medicinal or even used for cosmetic purposes. Take olives for instance. Depending on where you are situated in the world and what you are interested in olives are either an ingredient for food, or for cosmetics or both.
I found myself in this situation and realization a few weeks ago on my adventure in Tuscany. For our last study trip (where did all the time go) our class once again got on a bus and somehow survived a week long trip with each other and a terrible heatwave. Sweltering is the word I would use to define it. It was assumed a few times that since I'm from the beautiful continent of Africa I would be used to this heat. Well, NO! If anything I avoid the sun as much as I can. I had never been so glad to come back to Città di Bra.
Back to the subjectivity. Tuscany is viewed by many as Italy. The romanticized idea of Italy is rolling hills of wheat, vineyards, olive groves and everything in between, but you wouldn't expect geothermal plants. The part of Tuscany we visited had several geothermal plants scattered in the valleys, you would smell the sulfuric residue before you saw the greenish grey power plant. That being said it still was beautiful but not quite what I had imagined.
I was looking forward to our trip to meet the olive oil producer. I had never been to an olive grove and coming from Southern Africa, olives are something that I had grown to appreciate and still find fascinating. As a fruit, the meaty flesh is bitter and peppery and yes oily. An acquired taste and sensation for many but one I have come to love.
We met our producer and we were shown around the ancient olive groves. We met an old tree about 800 years old and stopped to converse under the shade of this ginormous olive tree.
Moving into the production phase, it was a hypothetical demonstration since olives are extreeemly time sensitive and olives are pressed immeadiatly after harvest, literally they are taken straight from the tree to the press. If you take your time the quality of the oil changes due to the oxidation that occurs, changing the organoleptic charecteristics of the olive. In short the quicker you get your harvested olive to the mill the better the quality of your oil.
After the hypothetical pressing we had a tasting of the olive oil. Always a memorable experience because you are sipping on thick, rich, bitter and pepper oil. While the oil is in your mouth you are supposed to inhale some air through the mouth (make sure you make a lot of noise while doing so) and allow the flavour to develop. Its easier than it sounds. Then you spit out the rather disgusting concoction of olive oil and your saliva.The brave ones swallow but its really thick going down your throat. If you start coughing or better yet chocking know that its a good sign.It means that the oil is thick and full of flavour. The more bitter the better!
So after our tasting I thought to myself that I have always considered olive oil as an ingredient. But not necessary one for cooking but more in the lines of cosmetics. In Southern Africa, if you as a young black girl about olive oil, let me clarify that this also includes me and my crazy mysterious friends the conversation might end up being about cosmetics and hair products. Olives and the residue are great for cosmetics, soaps and a lot of other things that I have no idea about. I'm more intested in the cosmetics and the hair, seeing as we have a lot of high quality brands for hair products that use a base of olives for their products. Not only is it wonderful for cooking with, and baking, but the quality of the oil is also very good for the hair and the skin. Hence me having a little pot of a olive oil for my hair and skin, (something that my brothers have laughed at me for doing). But you should try it. It works wonders!
I found myself in this situation and realization a few weeks ago on my adventure in Tuscany. For our last study trip (where did all the time go) our class once again got on a bus and somehow survived a week long trip with each other and a terrible heatwave. Sweltering is the word I would use to define it. It was assumed a few times that since I'm from the beautiful continent of Africa I would be used to this heat. Well, NO! If anything I avoid the sun as much as I can. I had never been so glad to come back to Città di Bra.
Back to the subjectivity. Tuscany is viewed by many as Italy. The romanticized idea of Italy is rolling hills of wheat, vineyards, olive groves and everything in between, but you wouldn't expect geothermal plants. The part of Tuscany we visited had several geothermal plants scattered in the valleys, you would smell the sulfuric residue before you saw the greenish grey power plant. That being said it still was beautiful but not quite what I had imagined.
I was looking forward to our trip to meet the olive oil producer. I had never been to an olive grove and coming from Southern Africa, olives are something that I had grown to appreciate and still find fascinating. As a fruit, the meaty flesh is bitter and peppery and yes oily. An acquired taste and sensation for many but one I have come to love.
We met our producer and we were shown around the ancient olive groves. We met an old tree about 800 years old and stopped to converse under the shade of this ginormous olive tree.
Moving into the production phase, it was a hypothetical demonstration since olives are extreeemly time sensitive and olives are pressed immeadiatly after harvest, literally they are taken straight from the tree to the press. If you take your time the quality of the oil changes due to the oxidation that occurs, changing the organoleptic charecteristics of the olive. In short the quicker you get your harvested olive to the mill the better the quality of your oil.
After the hypothetical pressing we had a tasting of the olive oil. Always a memorable experience because you are sipping on thick, rich, bitter and pepper oil. While the oil is in your mouth you are supposed to inhale some air through the mouth (make sure you make a lot of noise while doing so) and allow the flavour to develop. Its easier than it sounds. Then you spit out the rather disgusting concoction of olive oil and your saliva.The brave ones swallow but its really thick going down your throat. If you start coughing or better yet chocking know that its a good sign.It means that the oil is thick and full of flavour. The more bitter the better!
So after our tasting I thought to myself that I have always considered olive oil as an ingredient. But not necessary one for cooking but more in the lines of cosmetics. In Southern Africa, if you as a young black girl about olive oil, let me clarify that this also includes me and my crazy mysterious friends the conversation might end up being about cosmetics and hair products. Olives and the residue are great for cosmetics, soaps and a lot of other things that I have no idea about. I'm more intested in the cosmetics and the hair, seeing as we have a lot of high quality brands for hair products that use a base of olives for their products. Not only is it wonderful for cooking with, and baking, but the quality of the oil is also very good for the hair and the skin. Hence me having a little pot of a olive oil for my hair and skin, (something that my brothers have laughed at me for doing). But you should try it. It works wonders!
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