Blossoms of oranges and lemons and the wisteria make the air so fragrant at the front door of our Visitors Center.   I cannot imagine a better way to greet guests.  Spring is special on a Farm. So many plants and animals are growing.

Wisteria Blossoms

We present a collage of all that is blooming and growing at our Farm. The harbinger of all that we can grow, produce, and enjoy with friends.

Olive Buds

Baby Grapes

Brugmansia,  Angels trumpet

Mint

Julia Child Rose

Valarian, Jupiters Beard

Marigold

Nasturtium

Orange Blossoms

Quail Eggs

Sage Blossoms

Thyme

Violas

The next blog will be about our green house and all the starts that are growing in a protected place.

Ciao

Celebrate Spring, Primavera, Printemps

Ann

Athena at Sunset

When I began this olive oil business, I imagined, and planned, that food would be a huge part of my business.  After all, olive oil and good healthy food go together.  But little did I know 10 years ago, how important this aspect would become.

As we have developed the cooking school, the Kitchen in the Grove, at our Farm, many, many, amazing things have happened, and we have learned so much.  In addition, there are so many stories to tell.

We have learned new ways of ordering, new companies, economies of scale.  Learning how to compost with 350 tons of byproduct from the milling.  Food costs, food waste, and efficient ordering.  Oh my, oh my…so busy.

A beautiful Blood Orange from our Citrus Grove

We learned to use our fruit from the farm to its best purpose. Marmalade, preserved lemons, juice, Buddha’s hand conserve, rose petal jelly, and blood oranges.

I have learned to relocate snakes, and dispatch the scary ones.  On one occasion, the Sheriff’s department knew the rattlers were living under the front porch, and actually looked, face first, under the porch!  I was hanging on to his belt to pull him out in case the very present snake bit the Sheriff. Then we fed the Sheriffs, who responded with lights and sirens when animal control was busy, homemade polenta with ragu sauce.  The Sheriff is still alive and the snake is not, and my guests are safe.

We have learned a lot about sustainable seafood, and that cleaning fresh octopus is outrageous fun.

Henrietta the Escape Artist

Hawk in the Hen House

We are learning about caring for chickens and benefit with our farm fresh eggs. In addition, to how to manage the death of some of the said chickens, and then figuring how many more chickens we need. Getting too attached to Henrietta Hen, our escapee chicken.  The experience of battling a very large hawk in the chicken coop…I won and the hawk flew away.  However, I am sure she is only temporarily absent.

We have learned that a full tasting room and a full cooking class are a lot of work, but the rewards are triple fold.

Finding competent people, and then finding out that they have never had the opportunity to set a proper table. Google helped me find a proper formal table-setting plan.

Burns, cuts, and sore feet. Did I mention very sore feet? My phone says that during milling season, we walked well over 15,000 steps a day. We milled for 60 days, so why am I not skinny?

In Kitchen in the Grove, we teach proper knife techniques to participants who have had a little bit of wine. From now on when the knives are out the wine is away!

Finding out that I can cook with the best, and have a huge amount of fun.  And learn something every single day.  That is the experience of a lifetime.

Ever changing staff with new ideas every day.  Re-inventing the wheel in a new direction that makes our business grow.

BUT! The best story is falling over the open oven door and not landing on our Executive Chef who was standing on the other side…and saving the seafood pies I was carrying.  With the entire, very shocked, cooking class wondering if I would pop up from the floor, or remain hiding behind the Chef for the rest of the class.

The best was living to laugh about the whole thing. Bruised shin and embarrassed ego. But, most importantly, we saved the seafood pies!

Here is to more stories, and fun. Come, enjoy our laughter, and laugh with us.

Ciao

Ann

Organic olive oils that win international awards, an organic farm that produces great food from our organic garden and the choices of sustainable organic wines that taste beyond delicious. A trusted purveyor and miller. What more could you ask for?

What makes a great pairing? It really is very simple, use very good ingredients, simply prepared, and then present them beautifully. Take the time to enjoy life and share. Invite your favorite people to dinner and celebrate your friendship. Or prepare a special meal just for yourself, a nice treat. Set the table and light a candle; select a perfect flower, maybe some music to enjoy with dinner. Set aside the cell phones and television and have a conversation. Make your time memorable.

Here are some pairing suggestions from IL Fiorello Olive Oil Co for you to enjoy.

Begin your evening with a beautiful glass of IL Fiorello Pinot Noir wine. Simple prepare bruschetta; a slice of warm grilled bread with a topping of savory mushrooms sautéed in fresh olive oil. A great pairing.

Sunday Supper, Our house Red Table Wine, 6 vintages, 5 grape varieties, all blended for us by Coturri and Sons in Sonoma, an organic vineyard and winery. Serve with fabulous handmade Baia pasta, tossed with our Leccino Olive Oil, a little salt and pepper.  Simple, elegant, and delicious. Come by and pick up a Sunday Supper package, you only have to provide the candlelight.

A lovely pork chop, dredged in a combination of coco powder, ground coffee, and harissa spice, grill and serve at your table with our Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Present with a lovely Syrah from our alliance with Napa Valley College Enology Wine program.

And for dessert!

Grilled bread, doused with new fresh milled olive oil, Olio Nuovo, and sprinkle with chocolate bits. Perfectly Delicious

Candied orange peels, fresh from our citrus garden, made with our Mandarin Co-milled olive oil. Serve with a glass of sparkling wine from Onward Wines, from grapes grown in Suisun Valley. The combination will make your life better.

Chocolate truffles made with olive oil instead of butter. Hand made by our Chef and just luscious. Paired with Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar Reduction it becomes a perfect pairing.

Love your oil, your food and your wine, eat well, live long, and enjoy the benefits.

©The Miller, The Chef and The Sommelier

IL Fiorello Olive Oil Co © 2017

It may be the darkest time of the year, when all we want is a fire in the fireplace, warm chili, and a great glass of wine, but the trees in front of our Visitors Center are anything but dark and dreary. The citrus trees have dark green shiny leaves, and are just covered with citrus fruits of all kinds. Eureka lemon, Buddha’s hand, Seville Sour Oranges, Variegated Lemons, Pomelo, Grapefruit, Valencia Oranges, and Meiwa Kumquats.  There are thirteen different types of citrus at our Farm.

At IL Fiorello, we have officially declared January to be citrus tasting month.  In our Visitor’s center, we are presenting our co-milled oils, Winter Fruit Balsamic Vinegar Reduction, and really exquisite food pairings.  We want to brighten your day, and your taste buds.

We are serving our Mandarin, Lemon, and Winter Fruit Olio Nuovo, and of course, our award winning and fabulous Jalapeno-Lime.

Each oil was made with quality fresh citrus fruit and olives.  Hundreds of pounds of Eureka Lemons, Mandarins, Limes, and 800 lbs. of fresh jalapenos. All fruit is milled with really good Italian varietal olives, Frantoio, Leccino, and Pendolino.  The result, super freshness, super taste, and delightful brightness.

Organic citrus and pomegranates from our farm used in our Winter Fruit Olio Nuovo

The Winter Fruit Olio Nuovo appears this year for the first time in our tasting room. We had a couple thousand extra pounds of olives, a very large machine, and lots of citrus on the Farm. We picked 3 of each kind of citrus, added a couple of pomegranates for sweetness, and milled the lot together. Extraordinary oil, beautiful, bright, but subtle taste of citrus, and a long lasting finish. This oil pairs beautifully with a citrus salad of blood oranges and chicory.  Radicchio, bitter lettuce, and endive are in the chicory family; these bitter greens grow well in winter, and pair nicely with the bright citrus of our Winter Fruit Olio Nuovo. Tis the season for a bright and healthy salad.

Buddha’s Hand Citron: Decidedly weird, but delightfully delicious!

Our Sous Chef Gen is making Buddha’s hand curd, lemon curd, and orange and lemon marmalade.  The candied fingers of the Buddha’s hand are just the most delicious treat. A great brightness during the relative cold of the California Winter months.  We have Sour Orange Marmalade from our Seville Sour Orange trees. A wonderful treat. Lemon curd and Buddha’s hand curd are marvelous on lemon olive oil cake, English muffins, and my favorite, just a teaspoon.

Here are some more suggestions for enjoying our Co-Milled Citrus Oils

 Mandarin Co-Milled Oil

Mixed with equal parts oil and honey

Warm just slightly and spread over English muffins

Eureka Lemon Co-Milled Oil

We serve this striking Eureka lemon oil over our olive oil gelato. It is grand over really good vanilla ice cream.

At the dinner table I serve our Lemon Oil with a simple roasted chicken. Just enough to brighten the flavor. It is particularly good on steamed asparagus or broccoli.

Bearss Lime Co-Milled Oil

Our favorite on fish or chicken tacos!

Jalapeno-Lime Co-Milled Oil

Enjoy on scrambled eggs, carne asada, steak, chicken, vegetables and POPCORN.

Begin the New Year with a fresh taste. Citrus and great oil. Double the antioxidants, and double the flavor.

Ciao

Ann

Lemon Curd Recipe

When you have lots of lemons and chickens that give lovely eggs, and we have both, we make lemon curd. Enjoy the fresh taste of lemon curd on English muffins or Olive Oil Cake. If you are so lucky to have Buddha’s hand citron, try using a few fingers of the citron to make this luscious curd. Chef Gen has her own special way to make the curd and it is delicious.

Buddha’s Hand Curd on Olive Oil Cake…yummy!

Ingredients

4 Lemons, juiced

½ cup of lemon or Buddha hand peel

2/3 cups sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

Method

1. Remove the peel from the lemons, avoid the white pith as this is very bitter. If using Buddha’s hand use the whole finger
2. Place the zest in a food processor with the sugar
3. Pulse until the zest is very finely minced, the sugar helps to bring out the juices and oils from the peel
4. Add eggs, lemon juice and melted butter to the sugar and blend to combine
5. Place a saucepan or small pot on the stove with 2 inches of water, bring to a simmer
6. Pour the lemon mixture into a glass or stainless steel bowl that fits on top of the saucepan without touching the water. Bain Marie or water bath
7. Wisk the mixture constantly over low heat until thickened, the temperature should be between 160-170° F
8. Remove from the heat
9. Strain through a fine strainer
10. Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming
11. Keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy

January is here, and amazingly so. The olive harvest and milling are complete. This year was a more than bountiful year, and we made some awesome oils, for IL Fiorello, and for all our milling clients. We are now hard at work planning all our events and gatherings for 2018.

We will host many fabulous cooking classes, great private events, wine tastings, and delicious food. Our back patio is completed, and is a lovely place to sit and sip wine, taste oil, and celebrate friendships.

A happy student at one of our cooking classes after successfully making his first omelet topped with, of course, our olive oil!

Soup, generously garnished with oil for the perfect finishing touch and flavor.

Bruschetta, a thick slice of warm toasted bread drizzled with oil, with any topping you desire. Beautiful vegetables and oil, mushrooms and oil, beans and oil, or delicious simple roasted garlic and oil.

My personal favorite, beans, all kinds, warm and fragrant, drizzled with oil add a few seasonal vegetables and enjoy the taste and the good health.

On the Farm, we are working on drainage systems.  Planning the garden, and cleaning the mill. We are still working in the mill completing the decanting of all of our oils, assessing oils for competition, and planning bottle runs.

But really, we are lost in watching the birds. The European Starlings are putting on a show with their graceful movements called murmurations.  As they swim through the air, we can hear the wings of thousands of birds flying in symphony.  Wonderfully distracting when you are supposed to be working on spreadsheets.

Speaking of murmurings, Cornell University Ornithology has a great web site for bird information. Here is some information about our starlings. First brought to North America by Shakespeare enthusiasts in the nineteenth century, European Starlings are now among the continent’s most numerous songbirds. They are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. Though they’re sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness, they’re still dazzling birds when you get a good look. Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks. The picture is from Scotland, near where my friends live, but so like here in Suisun Valley, only very much warmer.

Twas three weeks before Christmas, at IL Fiorello’s Olive House.
All creatures were stirring, in the little hen’s house.
The barrels were stacked, with love and great care,
In hopes that more olives, soon would be there.
The gift packs were nestled, all snug on the shelves,
With dreams of great feasts, and gifts for the elves.

Now with Mark in his hat, and Ann ready to rally,
They awaited more fruit, this would be the finale!!
When out on the pad, there arose a huge clatter,
We sprang to the door, to see what was the matter.
When what to our wondering eyes should appear?
But a truck with more olives…Oh my….Oh my dear.

The bright sun, on the crush pad, was lovely and warm,
And gave escape artist hen, Henrietta, no worry of harm.
Olives are coming, she cackled to warn,
Get to the mill, be ready! Raise the alarm!
Away…. Nick to the forklift, to trucks he does dash,
EJ opens the mill doors, and Aroldo the sash.

The trucks come a-plenty, with lots of great fruit,
From Larry our friend, in a red Santa suit.
Yet another with oranges, lemons, limes, and hot peppers,
To mill with our olives, great gifts…n’better than sweaters!
Then amazed, we did watch! Another welcome surprise!
A brigade of bright elves, with very sharp knives.

With Ron and Gen in the lead, Steph, Mary, Joe in a line,
All came to the mill, to help manage the limes.
Followed by elves: Libby, Paul, Gabe,
Alie, Bella, and Jess, Marisell, Nik, and Dave.
And last, but not least, our dear Magic Mark,
With a huge joyful wave…yay, we’ll be done before dark!!!

The fruit is well cut, the olives a-plenty,
Co-milled oil is flowing, from out the Valente.
The malaxers are full, the centrifuge spinning,
And green Christmas trees, the elves are a-trimming.
And then in a twinkling, harvest season is over.

Can this really all happen, so fast and so quick?
Our thoughts are now turning to greeting Saint Nick.

May your holidays be happy, with a great jolly laugh!
And Cheers!!
To all of our patron’s, our friends, and our most wonderful staff.

Merry Christmas to all with hopes of blessings and honour, glory and power, riches and wisdom, happiness, and strength, and health.

Thank you for 2017, and cheers to a wonderful 2018
Ann and Mark

Thanks for all the olives

We are swimming in olives thanks to all the growers bringing in tons and tons of olives. Our goal is to make wonderful beautiful oil.

We wish everyone could see the process, revel in the olives, hear the machinery run, and taste delicious Olio Nuovo.  But for those who cannot come, we are making a film of our process from Olive to Oil, with Epic Flight.  What a treat that will be for us to share it with you all!

Here are a few still photos of the magical process of making oil.

Thousands of olive waiting to be milled.

They begin their journey in the outside hopper after being weighed and graded. The temperature is taken to ensure the best method to mill the olives.  Cool olives make better oil.

Up the elevator into the blower and washer. Beautiful green ripe olives make delicious oil.

Newly washed olives going into the crusher, pits, tissue, skins. Then into the malaxation tanks, the centrifuges, and out comes new oil.

Fresh oil out of the centrifuge. Bitter, pungent, fragrant and delicious for your Holiday table.

Enjoy the newly made Olio Nuovo at your Thanksgiving table. Here are a few suggestions from IL Fiorello to enjoy.

Six great ways to use olive oil for Thanksgiving!

Rub your turkey with oil to help in the browning and flavor.

Make a golden puddle of fresh Leccino Olive Oil in your mashed potatoes, for taste and fragrance.

Roast baby vegetables with fresh Pendolino oil and your choice of seasonings.

Fresh co-milled lemon olive oil drizzled over vanilla gelato, with a sprinkling of sea salt.

Thick slices of warm toasted bread, with fresh robust Frantoio olive oil, dark chocolate shavings, and a sprinkle of salt.

Olio Nuovo, new fresh oil, on the Thanksgiving table, a seasonal gift for your guests

May you enjoy your Thanksgiving with family and friends. Give thanks for the bounty of the harvest.

We are very grateful.

Ciao

Ann, and Mark, and “Olive” our family and staff.

OCTOBER MUSINGS FROM IL FIORELLO

As the events of the past two weeks, the Great Fires of California, have affected all of us, I want to take a minute to pause and thank many people for all their efforts.  Staff who drove down the vineyard dirt paths to come to work.  Staff, who even though they were evacuated from their homes, still managed to be online to try to keep the business working.  When you come to our Visitors Center, please say hello to our staff and tell them thank you for their efforts.  Kindness is powerful.

Thank you also to our neighbors, who posted pictures of our home so we knew it was safe, even though we were evacuated ourselves. A huge thank you of course to all the thousands of people who helped quench the fires, and kept thousands safe. I know it is their job, their passion, but let them hear us all say thank you.

As we enter the milling season this year, the olives are abundant.  We hope to make great oil, and enjoy the company of so many wonderful growers.  Some have lost their crop to fire, which is tragic, but the olive tree is hardy, and will regrow, and again be productive.  Many people are calling in to schedule milling appointments, and we greet them with happiness that they are safe.

The mill is improved this year thanks to much work by our milling staff.  We look forward to milling tons of olives for IL Fiorello, and many, many returning and quite a few welcome new clients.  Soon, we will film a movie about how olive oil is made,   focusing on the perspective of an olive from harvest to oil.  Just think if you were an olive, what would happen to you to become international award winning oil.  This will be fun for us, and help our visitors understand the milling process.

We are harvesting from our organic garden, and have gallons of tomato sauce and dried tomatoes to make sun-dried tomato pesto with new oil, Olio Nuovo. (The recipe is below) Because of the bounty of the garden, this great pesto will be our signature crostini for entire coming year. We also have been preserving tomatoes in olive oil. Just delicious.

Delicious sun-dried tomato pesto with fresh, warm crostini!

The back area of our Visitors Center is expanding to accommodate more events.  It will be the perfect place to sit, taste Olio Nuovo, and have a glass of wine with a charcuterie board.  A lovely covered area open to the Olive Grove…you can sit in peace, and watch the olive trees grow.  We look forward to many events this Fall season at IL Fiorello Farm, and hope you will be able to join us in the celebrations.

Ciao!

Ann and Mark

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups sun dried tomatoes

⅓ Cup pine nuts

2 cloves garlic (optional) raw or roasted

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of IL Fiorello’s Green Valley Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Blend all the ingredients except for parmesan together.
• Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto cannot absorb any more.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Process until smooth or leave slightly chunky if you prefer.
• Stir in Parmesan.

How to Oven Dry Tomatoes

• Preheat oven to 225°F.
• Slice cherry and plum tomatoes (Roma, Juliette, or San Marzano are best) in half lengthwise. (For larger tomatoes cut into ¼ inch-thick slices.)
• Place cut-side up on a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack or lined with parchment paper.
• Dehydrate for 4-6 hours or to desired dryness.
• When finished drying, let cool before removing from pan.
• Dried tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator, freezer, or packed in a jar with olive oil and seasonings.

At our Visitors Center people are always interested in why and how we prepare food, create recipes, and match oils with food. Here are some of my simple tenants for IL Fiorello.

• Use good, clean, and fair ingredients. This is also the hallmark of Slow Food and sensible eating
• Don’t complicate your life by making complicated dishes every day
• Use only certified extra virgin olive oil, enjoy the wonderful aroma, bitterness, and pungency
• Try all the different varieties of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil, expand your palate
• Don’t combine lots of ingredients as this tends to muffle each one
• Use ingredients that are simple, clean, and fresh
• Organic if possible
• Seasonality is very important, eat with the season
• Shop at farmers markets, as much as you are able
• Plant a garden in your backyard, on your back porch, or in your window sill.
• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits
• Eat with color – red, orange, yellow, green, and purple
• BALANCE – acidity, sweetness, savory, bitter, salt
• BALANCE – grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and oils
• Ignore the current food fads
• NO pre-packaged foods or pre-prepared foods
• NO fast food
• Enjoy well prepared fresh foods
• Let fresh food speak for itself
• Use your garden as your pharmacy

Ciao

Ann