Finding Gold in San Joaquin!
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Rachael Ray touts the benefits of cooking with it. Dr. Oz of Oprah fame says consuming two tablespoons a day is a healthy habit. Marge Spatafore tells me it’s the best skin moisturizer there is, and then there is Popeye – he loves Olive Oyl, too!
Several years ago I started hearing about the many San Joaquin County farmers that were planting olive trees and bottling the rich oil. At a UOP basketball game (yes, they won) I had an interesting conversation with Dean and Kathy Janssen about their new orchard of olive trees. Their first harvest was expected in October 2008. Thinking that might be a good story, I became curious about the number of farmers that were actually producing this medicinal fruit. I began scouring the shelves at local delis and grocery stores, and making endless phone calls searching for as many different labels as I could gather. My only rule – that it be bottled in San Joaquin County. I met some very interesting people in my pursuit. This is how I met the Spatafores, whose home is featured on page 54. And Joe Bozzano invited me to take a tour of the Bozzano Olive Ranch and their production plant. I’m glad I took him up on it – it was quite interesting. So interesting in fact, that my curiosity led me to “Google” olive oil used in Biblical times. It was used for just about everything – from anointing to cosmetics, to an offering to being a commodity. The more olive oil you possessed, the more prosperous you were considered to be.
Our EVOO (Exceptional Valley Olive Oil) story has been written, the photo shoot complete, and now I have more than a dozen different bottles sitting on my kitchen counter. What does one do? Minus the two bottles given to my neighbor Rob, I’m sending it all to Dr. Oz. He should be using the good stuff.
Remember to mark Thursday, October 16th on your calendar for The Record’s Best of San Joaquin Gala. It will be held at the Civic Auditorium. We are going to celebrate all that is wonderful in San Joaquin County. For more information call me at 209-957-7277.
Please continue to forward story ideas to:
SASS! Public Relations, 2972 West Swain Road #228, Stockton 95219; or call: 209-957-7277; or email: cmsass@comcast.net
Several years ago I started hearing about the many San Joaquin County farmers that were planting olive trees and bottling the rich oil. At a UOP basketball game (yes, they won) I had an interesting conversation with Dean and Kathy Janssen about their new orchard of olive trees. Their first harvest was expected in October 2008. Thinking that might be a good story, I became curious about the number of farmers that were actually producing this medicinal fruit. I began scouring the shelves at local delis and grocery stores, and making endless phone calls searching for as many different labels as I could gather. My only rule – that it be bottled in San Joaquin County. I met some very interesting people in my pursuit. This is how I met the Spatafores, whose home is featured on page 54. And Joe Bozzano invited me to take a tour of the Bozzano Olive Ranch and their production plant. I’m glad I took him up on it – it was quite interesting. So interesting in fact, that my curiosity led me to “Google” olive oil used in Biblical times. It was used for just about everything – from anointing to cosmetics, to an offering to being a commodity. The more olive oil you possessed, the more prosperous you were considered to be.
Our EVOO (Exceptional Valley Olive Oil) story has been written, the photo shoot complete, and now I have more than a dozen different bottles sitting on my kitchen counter. What does one do? Minus the two bottles given to my neighbor Rob, I’m sending it all to Dr. Oz. He should be using the good stuff.
Remember to mark Thursday, October 16th on your calendar for The Record’s Best of San Joaquin Gala. It will be held at the Civic Auditorium. We are going to celebrate all that is wonderful in San Joaquin County. For more information call me at 209-957-7277.
Please continue to forward story ideas to:
SASS! Public Relations, 2972 West Swain Road #228, Stockton 95219; or call: 209-957-7277; or email: cmsass@comcast.net