Olive oil.....something near and dear to me. My grandfather established an olive oil pressing business in Bari, Italy in the early twenties after returning to Italy after living and serving the U.S. in WWI.
My father who came to this country in the fifties to sell the family product met my mother and gave up the business always told me that I had olive oil running through my veins since the family lived, breathed and slept olive oil. I remember being in Italy and traveling by horse and buggy in the early sixties to go to one of the many groves my grandfather had. He had 500 plus acres of olive groves.
My grandparents would ship oil over to the states for my family's use. The Pulgia region of Italy truly has some of the best oil in the world. Mild, a tad bitter and with a little almond taste. The climate of the area is all important to the taste. I've tasted the California oils and they are very pleasant, I have some that I especially like on salads.
Below is a pic of the groves surrounding Bari.
The current family farm.
The "you are leaving" sign of the ancestral home of my family, Giovinazzo.
I should have gone back to Italy and taken over the factory and farms. I regret not being interested in the business when I was in my early twenties.
Che bella vita! Che meraviglia l'olio di oliva!