VISIT TO A FRANTOIA
VISIT TO A FRANTOIA
11/21/05
Yesterday was the day of feste di olio di oliva nuovo. That meant that the area olive oil making businesses (frantoia) were open for tasting and celebration. Steve heard about it and had gone last year, so this year he took me along on a beautiful but chilly Sunday morning. I read that these are part of the government sponsored events by the agricultural department and/or tourism, and they are usually pretty lavish.
When we drove up we saw a large modern building and when we entered from the sunlight, we tried to make sense of all of the things going on there. There was a lot of heavy machinery and many huge vats in the back. There were students bustling around, engaged in various activities, booths and signs and about a hundred people in all mostly standing around chatting, eating and drinking, and looking around.
First we headed to the tumor association booth, and for 10 euro, we got a poinsettia, a baseball cap, a key chain, and a good feeling that we had helped (plus a donation receipt). Then we chatted with the kids at the local ag and tech high school who specialized in learning how to make wine and beer. Wow! We explained that there was NOTHING like that in the states. We tasted their grillo grape white, and it was pretty good.
Meanwhile, the food was being set out on tables and it looked pretty tempting. We got to taste several kinds of pate and brushetta on tasty fresh bread rounds and a bread with oil, fresh anchovy, and orange that was really delightful. When everything is fresh and in season, you know at least each components will be good, and despite our doubts, this was a really nice combo. The wine was there for the asking too.
Then we watched the student artists concentrating on sketching and painting, working amidst all of the mayhem. A teacher-type person was close by observing. I dont know what they were supposed to be drawing/painting, but there was a group working on decorating plates-that would be the ceramic artists students. There was a narrated slide show showing olive oil production featuring an olive as the main cartoon character.
Finally, we approached the young ladies that had small bottles of new oil on a table and asked how much they were. They assured us that the bottles were free, but then someone came up and said I had to fill in a survey in order to take one. So I did and we took our bottle, our flower, our full tummies, and our cap and walked out into the Sunday sunny morning. Steve smiled with his gapped teeth and looked like a local. That fallen bridge gets cemented back on Monday AM.
Glad you are home from the hospital, ma-feel better!
11/21/05
Yesterday was the day of feste di olio di oliva nuovo. That meant that the area olive oil making businesses (frantoia) were open for tasting and celebration. Steve heard about it and had gone last year, so this year he took me along on a beautiful but chilly Sunday morning. I read that these are part of the government sponsored events by the agricultural department and/or tourism, and they are usually pretty lavish.
When we drove up we saw a large modern building and when we entered from the sunlight, we tried to make sense of all of the things going on there. There was a lot of heavy machinery and many huge vats in the back. There were students bustling around, engaged in various activities, booths and signs and about a hundred people in all mostly standing around chatting, eating and drinking, and looking around.
First we headed to the tumor association booth, and for 10 euro, we got a poinsettia, a baseball cap, a key chain, and a good feeling that we had helped (plus a donation receipt). Then we chatted with the kids at the local ag and tech high school who specialized in learning how to make wine and beer. Wow! We explained that there was NOTHING like that in the states. We tasted their grillo grape white, and it was pretty good.
Meanwhile, the food was being set out on tables and it looked pretty tempting. We got to taste several kinds of pate and brushetta on tasty fresh bread rounds and a bread with oil, fresh anchovy, and orange that was really delightful. When everything is fresh and in season, you know at least each components will be good, and despite our doubts, this was a really nice combo. The wine was there for the asking too.
Then we watched the student artists concentrating on sketching and painting, working amidst all of the mayhem. A teacher-type person was close by observing. I dont know what they were supposed to be drawing/painting, but there was a group working on decorating plates-that would be the ceramic artists students. There was a narrated slide show showing olive oil production featuring an olive as the main cartoon character.
Finally, we approached the young ladies that had small bottles of new oil on a table and asked how much they were. They assured us that the bottles were free, but then someone came up and said I had to fill in a survey in order to take one. So I did and we took our bottle, our flower, our full tummies, and our cap and walked out into the Sunday sunny morning. Steve smiled with his gapped teeth and looked like a local. That fallen bridge gets cemented back on Monday AM.
Glad you are home from the hospital, ma-feel better!
posted by Sicilian Mama at 7:02 AM
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