When we got a call from Frank at Windham Wines telling us that he was holding a bottle of new season olive oil aside for us, we centered our Saturday meal plans around the news & headed in to town. Frank & Marty, store owners & wine enthusiasts who recently returned from a trip to Italy, had been regaling us with tales of their stay at a wonderful family-owned winery, vineyard & olive fattoria, Selvapiana, who supplies them with fantastic red wines. Owned by the Giuntini family since 1827, their Chianti Rufina has been a recent favorite of ours, so we were very eager to taste their olive oil, which Marty had tried fresh on-site & absolutely raved about. Well, we can see why.
Armed with a fresh-baked loaf of Orchard Hill Breadworks bread from the Winter Farmer's Market, we prepared our little feast. It has been a while since I've had such a fruity, fresh olive oil, difficult to find in grocery or specialty stores without spending an arm & a leg; & while there are some Napa & Sonoma varieties I have enjoyed, Mediterranean olives have a depth of delicious buttery, bitter grassiness I have not experienced with American West Coast varieties.
When we travel to Italy, the Mister & I plan on adding a stop at Fattoria Selvapiana as we wend our way through vineyards & orchards, eating & drinking our way through the countryside.
I think I could live on bread, olive oil & wine alone. Oh, & chocolate. & butter.
Love your freaking dishes....we carry orchard hill breads here.... They ate yummy!
ReplyDeleteMMMMMMMMM sounds so lovely and you hit it right on with bitter grassiness!
ReplyDeleteIt was & continues to be soooo good... making chocolates with a little of it this week, so I'll keep you posted on how that little venture goes...
ReplyDeleteM-does Kurt deliver your breads? He delivers to the coop, & often mans the farmer's market stand. They are amazing breads, indeed. We usually get the olive rosemary, though this past week we also had the cracked pepper, which was to die for.
Dishes were an anniversary gift to ourselves several years ago - a friend made them, which is wonderful!