November 06, 2004
Between Silicon Valley and Stanford University and surrounded by venture capital firms, the Cañada College event draws some savvy olive oil consumers who have invariably tasted olive oil from around the world.
This year campus construction moved the 7th annual festival from the olive tree studded main campus to the athletic fields with no loss in the enthusiasm of vendors and festival attendees.
Northern Italian native Gianni Stefanini offered tastes of Apollo Olive Oil's eclectic lineup: Mistral, a wonderfully fragrant mix of French varietals (Picholine, Aglandau and Salonenque), Millers blend, and Sierra blend (Mission, Picholine and Ascolano). Apollo is growing over 5,000 trees representing over 37 different varieties in Northern California. Their blending efforts are paying off in some unusual and delicious oils.
Gil of Gil's Gourmet sold olives of every description as fast as he and an assistant could count the change. He also offered a garlic and herb dipping oil.
Ray and Bonnie Lopez of Bonita Ranch tempted fair attendees with a Mission, Manzanillo and Nevadillo blend from their Calaveras county ranch
Mixing crafts next to olive vendors brought differing comments. Some olive oil sellers objected to being placed next to soap-maker's strong scents. While some didn't want to be placed next to a competitor, others were resigned that there is a different "best olive oil" for everyone.
Skipstone Ranch was represented by Calin Uchida who woefully underestimated demand for his excellent Manzanillo oil. He had sold out by early afternoon. Merritt Edmunds of Balzana was pouring his stone ground olive oil and patiently explaining the process of olive oil making with the help of pictures he had brought. Don Landis gave curing demonstrations, passed out olive samples Frank and Marti Menacho of Olivas de Oro manned an artful booth with their signature cobalt blue olive oil bottles. Tony Peninsi of Big Paw had a double booth and plenty of oils, dippers and vinegars to keep from selling out as he has done at previous shows. Tony constantly proves that flavored oils outsell extra virgin oil ten to one at such functions. Wendell and Jennifer Davis of Olive Tree Movers / Big Trees Now sold trees to those eager to get into the olive oil business. Wendell has landscaped several villas with fully mature olive trees for area high tech tycoons. The Olive Oil Source fired up the pneumatic pruners for those wanting to see 2 1/2 inches of olive branch snipped with the flick of a finger. Stainless olive oil containers, bulk oil sales, harvesters and other industry equipment and services were shown. This event always ends with a sale of at least one First Press home olive oil press and several growers were given quotes on bigger Pieralisi and Il Molinetto presses. Other olive oil vendors included Hare Hollow, Brando's and Spenger's dippers.
