IÂ ARRIVED IÂ arrived in San Francisco at the end of November, just as the morning fog was beginning to lift from the city known for its steep hills. My goal of this trip was to learn about the heart that goes into the art of maintaining an olive grove, harvesting olives and milling them into the highest quality extra virgin olive oil. For this excursion, I partnered with the California Olive Oil Council (COOC), an esteemed organization that educates and oversees the production and certification of oil from the harvests that are yielded each year. With high standards and with over 400 members, including growers and producers, the COOC ensures that you will be consuming the highest quality olive oil with the maximum amount of health benefits. My guide for the weekend was Lisa Pollack, the Marketing Director for the COOC. She lives and breathes olive oil on a daily basis. She taught me how to taste olive oil (see page 107) and how to discern the different qualities that merit a quality oil.
She also served as my trusty guide to help me uncover the beauty in Napa and Sonoma. lives arrived in California with the Spanish missionaries in the late 18th Century and were planted between San Diego and Sonoma. They thrived due to the similar climate in Spain. In the 20th century, olive oil demand went down and it wasn’t until a new generation of health-conscious consumers allowed for the industry to thrive once again.
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