Harvest Time
finding peace in the simple life |
“You can have anything you want, if you give up the belief
that you can’t have it.”
I don’t know who said that and obviously it is quite
profound. You know what that
means… it is our fault, my fault (you say!). I am stopping myself.
What’s worse is I had a really lovely childhood, so there is no excuse
there, and yet I flounder.
I know that part of feeling good for us creative types is to
do something creative. It is that
simple. Don’t forget it! Also I think to be in touch with nature
and the seasons is a sure fire way to finding peace, keep at bay our difficulties.
Today we are going to harvest olives. I know this is a design journal of
sorts, but since Sette Design is coming to you out of Umbria Italy, every now
and then we must do something fun and Italian, like make pizza or put on 4 inch
heels, or reveal your cleavage, all the better if you are 60 years old, there
are not limits because of age here. You
could also wear a pristine dark blue suit and eat a pastry with powdered
sugar (risk), bike to work with your three year old in the back seat, a small ladder and an
umbrella. All of these options must
be done with style. If none of the
above kicks it for you. Then just
slam down an espresso and smoke a cigarette.
Here is my olive grove.
olive grove |
It was a bad year for olives in Umbria. This summer it hovered around 100
degrees for 2 months straight. I
was suffocating working painting on a ladder (heat rises). The heat killed the olives. I have a friend who said some of her
trees had only 5 olives on them.
Umbria for olives is like Napa/Sonoma Valley is for grapes.
The land from Assisi to Spoleto has good exposure to the
elements and the trees grow strong out of the rocky earth, therefore the olive
oil is delicious. Toasted thick country bread, prepared with salt, a raw clove of fresh garlic rubbed over the bread and olive oil poured on top is paradise found (Bruschetta).
23 olives |
I have 23 olives on my little tiny tree. I harvest them off and put them in a
bowl, cover them in salt. Then I leave them on my balcony for about two weeks. Mixing
them every now and then. It really should get down to freezing temperatures to
cure them well.
my harvest |
mix in salt |
ingredients |
After two weeks I take them in, clean off the salt with water. Then I mix in olive oil, salt, garlic and orange peel. Chop up the garlic and orange peels fine and sprinkle them on
top, give it a day to cure and they are ready to eat.
Enjoy!
Natalie
P.S. The Winston Dictionary copyright, 1946 says
Cure 1. the act, or art, of healing; 2. a remedy; 3. spiritual change; 4; a method of preserving.
That is the cutest "harvesting" ever; especially since I know someone who just told me she harvested her many acres of olive trees here in Sonoma County. Let me know how they turned out.
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