Archive for the 'California' Category

11 Jun

McEvoy Ranch in northern Marin unveils windmill

By Rob Rogers,
Photo Frankie Frost,
Publishing heiress Nan McEvoy hopes a once-controversial 98-foot-tall windmill on her northern Marin ranch will become an inspiration for farmers and others interested in leaving fossil fuels behind.
“I know there is nothing my mother is prouder of,” said Nion McEvoy, who spoke on his mother’s behalf during a dedication ceremony [...]

06 Jun

UC Davis Olive Oil Conference Welcomes Public and Culinary Professionals

Cooking enthusiasts and olive oil aficionados are invited to join food professionals from around the world June 21-23 at UC Davis for an international conference exploring the best production practices, sensory qualities and culinary possibilities for the highest quality extra virgin olive oil.
“Beyond Extra Virgin,” the largest conference on olive-oil excellence ever held in North [...]

29 May

Australia and US try to change olive oil standards

The Australian olive oil industry is teaming up with the United States to develop a new set of international olive oil standards.
Dr Rodney Mailer, from the Australian Oils Research Laboratory, says the European International Olive Council’s standards are too restrictive and treat unique aspects of Australian oils as negative traits.
He says Australian producers shouldn’t be [...]

22 May

California: The Olive Press earns top awards

Already known as the most highly-awarded producer of California extra virgin olive oil, The Olive Press once again earned high accolades and awards at the prestigious 2009 Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition held in April, with an impressive 15 medals in all.
Gold medals were awarded to an additional seven of the Sonoma-based company’s extra [...]

19 May

Lindsay Olives seeks sales in snack aisle, too

By David Morrill,
Walk down the snack aisle of a local grocery store and you’ll find the usual canisters of peanuts, bags of chips and jars of salsa. If Lindsay Olives has its way, you’ll see their cans of olives as well.
Owned by Bell-Carter Foods Inc. of Lafayette, Lindsay Olives is in the process of trying [...]

23 Apr

Expert praises California olive oil

Going green can mean picking the right olive oil and one expert on the oil says California’s premium olive oils are often worth the extra money.
University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor Paul Vossen, an olive oil expert, says the state’s olive oil has a promising future if word of its many benefits is effectively [...]

22 Apr

CIA-UC Davis World Olive Oil Conference

Take part in one of the top flavor-discovery experiences of the year, Beyond Extra Virgin 2009: An International Conference on Excellence in Olive Oil.
This unique event, scheduled for June 21 to 23, will be held at the University of California at Davis and the California campus of The Culinary Institute of America.
Conference highlights include extensive [...]

09 Apr

Cook’s Books: Olive oil, the American way

By Amanda Gold,
Purchasing olive oil these days can be a dizzying feat. Is it best to go for the more traditional Italian stuff? A particular varietal? Fruity or peppery? Mild? Robust?
According to local chef and author Fran Gage, however, keeping it local - or at least domestic - isn’t a bad idea. In her [...]

12 Mar

$450,000 Embezzled From SB Olive Co

Sheriff deputies arrested 39-year-old Cathy Latou who, reportedly admitted to embezzling over $360,000 from the Santa Barbara Olive Company.
The owners of the company contacted the sheriff’s department on Monday, after Latou reportedly confessed to the theft.
After a further investigation, sheriff officials discovered Latou may have taken an additional $90,000. Investigators believe the majority of funds [...]

12 Mar

Gold and Silver Medals Awarded to California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oils

Arbequina, Arbosana, and Koroneiki Recognized at the First Annual California Olive Oil Council Competition
California Olive Ranch (COR), North America’s largest olive oil producer, received three medals from The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) for their 2008 harvest extra virgin olive oils: Both the single varieties Arbequina and Arbosana earned gold and COR’s single variety [...]

18 Feb

Olives May Be Rescued By Helpful Wasp

By Marcia Wood,
Olives basking in sunny California groves might find that their new best friend is a small brown wasp. Known to scientists as Psyttalia cf. concolor, the little wasp can help foil the olive fruit fly, a powerful natural enemy of olives.
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) entomologist Victoria Y. Yokoyama and colleagues have imported and [...]

09 Dec

Economic Downturn Effect Patient Health and Diets

Over 56% of American Dietetic Association members surveyed report that they are concerned that the current economic downturn will have a negative effect on their patients’ ability to maintain or achieve a healthy weight, according to a survey conducted by the California Olive Committee.
Almost three-quarters (72.2%) of the registered dieticians and nutritionists expressed concern that [...]

04 Dec

Table olives losing favor on California farms

Small harvest being reported
Groves cut, making way for more profitable crops

Central Valley olive growers are reporting one of the smallest harvests in years – 51,000 tons, well under the USDA’s initial estimate of 65,000 tons.
One reason: Fewer olive trees.
Growers, disappointed with the money to be made growing table olives, have been ripping out many of [...]

29 Nov

Harvest brings gourmet McEvoy olive oil

By Rob Rogers,

At the McEvoy Ranch, the end of the harvest season comes not with the arrival of turkey, cranberry sauce or stuffing, but with the bottling of “olio nuovo” - a bright-green, strong-tasting oil made from the 550-acre ranch’s freshest olives.
Like almost all of the olive oil produced at the northern Marin ranch - [...]

28 Nov

It’s olive time again in Sonoma Valley

By Robbi Pengelly,

With the grape harvest wrapped up, the focus has turned to Sonoma Valley’s other crop  - olives. Here workers at B.R. Cohn Winery flail at olive trees with long poles like acolytes in some ancient Druid ritual. Next month will mark the launch of the Valley’s annual Olive Festival, complete with the blessing [...]