Olives in AZ & a Visit to Queen Creek Olive Mill
Olives were brought to Arizona from California in the 1800’s by missionaries. They planted “Mission” olive trees along the way as a route marker.
The climate and soil conditions in Arizona are perfect for both growing and harvesting a superlative crop from olive trees. Over the years, several hopeful olive oil proprietors started a business, but went “belly up”, while waiting out the 8 years necessary for the trees to produce a retail crop that could sustain their operation.
In the late 1990’s that all changed. Perry Rea, tired of Michigan automotive life, and looking for a rural place to raise his 5 children, happened upon AZ. He noticed olive trees, followed a hunch to move here to raise olives for canning, and subsequently began pressing olive oil as a hobby.
Perry's olive oil pressing passion found favor with family, friends, and local chefs. It became his sole endeavor. Today he has a fully producing and expanding "boutique" orchard and mill operation in Queen Creek. It is the first and only commercial olive oil operation in Arizona. One that wastes nothing, composts, is free of chemicals; has a superior product, and a bright future ahead.
Some tidbits I gleaned on a tour of Perry's olive orchard & mill:
The US consumes most of the world’s olive oil, and produces only 1% of it.
What is imported and how it is labeled is confusing to the consumer. Many imported olive oils list several countries where the oil may be from, or something vague like “bottled in Italy.
There are no detailed standard govt. evaluations of imported oil.
The shelf life of olive oil, once bottled, is one year.
There is no such thing as extra virgin “light” olive oil. Oil is not "diet”, and “light” likely is extra virgin combined with another oil.
Pure high quality olive oil must be not only Extra Virgin but First Press. It is the first press where pretty much all of the oil is expressed from the crushed olive flesh and stone. Subsequent presses include the already pressed remains plus additives such as extraction chemicals and heat and other inferior oil fillers.
Olive oil should not have an odor. Its’ taste is generally fruity, grassy, or peppery. Batches can be customized by combining different olives by a Master olive blender.
Flavors are added to oil to camoflage an inferior product.
Intentionally added infusions of fruit, spices or herbs may be used to season first press extra virgin oil, and are not “flavors”. An example of infused oils are the delicious Blood Orange, Mexican Lime, & White Truffle extra virgin first press olive oils created by Perry at the Queen Creek Olive Mill.
The bottom line for me?
Read the label on olive oil before buying. If it says anything but extra virgin first press, no matter what brand or price tag, you are getting a substandard product. BUY LOCAL.
Check out Queen Creek Olive Mill for more information about olives, olive oil, health benefits; and to view their many olive and balsamic vinegar based products. Be sure to watch the very informative AZ Del Sol Foods video tour of QCOM (has 5 parts); and Discovery Channel’s video clips of both olive oil pressing and olive raking, filmed at QCOM. Janet
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