The Olive
In early March Tom and I traveled to the Valpolicella region with some friends for wine tasting. We wrapped up the day with an olive oil tasting and tour at Antico Frantoio Bonamini in Illasi. Eight different types of olives grow in this part of the Veneto region located near Verona. (PC: P. Zaehler) We were able to see the different pieces of equipment used to process the harvest into olive oil. The machines were not in operation though because the harvest was still another seven months away. Our tasting included a couple different olive oils (processed the season before) and two different olive pâtés -- nere (black) and verdi (green). Our Tasting Saturday I had a chance to revisit Bonamini and this time it was harvest time. For two months of every year Bonamini runs 24 hours a day -- processing the fruit from their own 15,000 trees, as well as olives from many of their neighbors. However, their neighbors have to provide at least ...