May Day and Beyond

Happy May Day...the first week of May brings lots of activity to Olive Connection. Our March and April events are over and now starts another round of fun. The featured image is from the Sicilian Night, with the staff from La Morra, our staff, and Guiseppe from Olio Taibi who won a Silver award in New York for his 2016 olive oil harvest Organic Nocellara  from Sicily. We ended our series of events with a Night of Cheese and Olive Oil pairing along with sundried figs, date and nuts and hot honey…a fun time was had by all.

5 cheese and 5 olive oils and vinegars for pairing

I attended the New York Olive Oil Council for their award winners. Over 800 entries and 300 winners representing 26 countries. Italy had a terrific harvest in 2015 and I met new friends form Italy and Greece. Lucia from  Frontanaro in Umbria is on the left, chef and leader of the slow food movement. She has a beautiful estate. Claire is on the right, and her family farm is just outside Rome, Casale Sonnino  I will order both of their precious Olive Oils as they both won gold and silver and will let you know as soon as they arrive. Click on their links as they rent out their villas. We all have to go! I saw my friend Renee who owns Sapore, a store like ours in Washington DC.  Stop by to visit her if you are in the area. The four of us made new friendships at dinner and we were transformed to Italy as they shared their lives and the love and perfection they put into harvesting their olives.

Lucia from Umbria and Claire from Rome

What to give to MOM? May 8th is the date! Not sure she really wants a bottle of olive oil…but how about a fun gift pack? A Garden Tasting Collection with the cutest bottles.

Set/5  Tuscan Herb, Carmelized Garlic, and Chili Olive Oil, Sun Dried Tomato and Cucumber Balsamic Vinegar in a gift box.

Or beauty bars with honey and olive oil to enhance the skin and smells good. Indulgences she would not buy for herself. And we will do custom gift baskets for Mom too!  She deserves only the best!  We have delicious infused honey for her tea. ‘Be My Honey’ has dark chocolate and raspberry and ‘Queen Bee’ is lemonbalm, rose, nettle and red clover in the honey.

Honey from France, Honey Lavender soap, a travel case full of luxury, and gotta have cookies

Don’t forget Cinco de Mayo…May 5th!  Always an excuse to celebrate and have fun.  We have the best local fresh salsa and chips.

We’ll be sampling!  Check out Nola’s website for recipes...yummm

Nola’s Fresca Salsa and Mi Nina Tortilla Chips, made locally

And Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer is this week too, May 2-8 and Vanessa’s Kitchen made the brownies with our Blood Orange Olive Oil as our entry and is delicious. All proceeds of the sales will be giving to this fund raiser so come by to buy.  A perfect snack!

Back by popular demand Hacienda Guzman Extra Virgin Olive OIl from Southern Spain.  It’s on the web again to order or just call.

Organic blend of Arbequina and Manzanilla, Single Varietal Manzanilla and Hojiblanca in the green bottle ( the color of the oil is green)

Working on bridal shower favors and wedding favor ideas…tis the season…

We will end the week with Doves and Figs sampling their newest jams.  They are local too.  Love their Peachy Keen, Razzle Dazzle (raspberry jam and Taso Chocolate) and Picnic in Paris.

Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there…and enjoy the week.  I’ll be seeing my mom too,,,