This is our second season picking olives at home, so we can use during the cooking sessions a precious and very special organic olive oil.
With some experience acquired we handled sticks, picking nets, stakes, baskets and sacks. The place being the same, we found a landscape very different from last year, a dry soil this time without a single blade of grass where the olives could hide when falling from the trees. Hot weather and short sleeves often, and the sun keeping us company.
Also the olives we took to the oil mill were different, smaller and less lustrous, though they turned out to be filled with more oil. We have learnt that every harvest is different and nature is the one in charge, even though humanity keeps on trying to bring her under control.
The precious liquid we have got has an intense and fruity aroma and flavor, though it took me again a week to be able to taste it, my nose saturated after a few hours waiting at the oil mill.
Being a basic ingredient in our gastronomy, present in every recipe, this is my favourite way to taste virgin olive oil: a slice of nice bread soaked in a good virgin olive oil with a pinch of sal. You can brighten it up with some serrano ham and a slice of tomato. So simple and so delicious.
