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Harvested from local spots, olive oil on salmon, bread, veggies, and cheese rocks the farm-to-table vibe we know so well (to say nothing of its use on human skin to ensure youth and vitality). With the recent March passing of innovator Nan McEvoy, I’ve been pondering her gifts to eaters near and far. McEvoy was a food world pioneer for planting olive trees in Marin County in the 1980s, when she was in her sixth decade. She launched Northern California’s extra virgin organic olive oil scene, and the estate grown, Tuscan-influenced
McEvoy olive oils still rack up awards nationally and on in the international marketplace.
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Round Pond Estate
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Olive oil
In the old world and our own new-new world, olive groves often share space with wine grapes, and in 2006, McEvoy added viticulture to its portfolio. My personal favorite McEvoy wine is the refreshing and bright
2014 Rosebud Rosé — a citrusy, light sip. When visiting a winery tasting room, pass up the golf gear and focus on bottles of a different type. Buying olive oil gifts you a daydreamy reminder days later of how it felt to stand, sip and taste. Pairing wine and olive oil is the chance to explore a bounty of tastes with dips, spreads, veggies and decent protein. Expect fun eating and a reminder of why it's worth it to source goods from not too far away.
Round Pond Estate has one of only two olive oil mills in Napa Valley and the MacDonnell family’s olive oil just begs for crusty bread, cheese and salami. On the Wine Road in northern Sonoma County, there’s
HKG Estate Winery at Hop Kiln Vineyards' smoked olive oil,
Jordan Winery’s extra virgin oil,
Kendall Jackson’s estate olive oil, and bottles of liquid olive oil gold from
Trattore Farms and
DaVero biodynamic winery. And should you find yourself in Carmel Valley, nab some
Holman Ranch estate olive oil and make for a nice picnic near lush greenery there or back home, on the floor of your cozy and book-filled Mission District rental.
Oil it up: writereadeat (at) gmail, and follow
@loquitaladd
