Olive oil

Have finished the local Pic&Nic festival at Trevi. During the quite bits I was reading Extra Virginity by Thomas Mueller about as he say the "sublime and scandalous world of olive oil".

One thing in it I found interesting was that an olive oil's oleacanthal properties give it it's pepperiness and bitteriness. It is these same properties that give it some of the same anti-inflammatory properties as ibuprofen.

High quality olive oil is defined by it's pepperiness and bitterness. So to benefit from an olive oil's health benefits then you need to buy a quality olive oil and not any old blend found cheap in a supermarket.

La terza volta

The hillsides of Trevi will, for the next two days, be full of Picnickers enjoying the fine weather, lovely views, some designer sandwiches, some fine olive oil (CM naturally)...................

Come on down.

Paterno

This is the name of the hill on which stands Casa Margherita. There is also a stream which is called the same. This stream apparently never runs dry and should you breath in its air you will undoubtedly catch a cold.

Also chatting to a neighbour learnt it was bad luck to look at your olives before August after flowering.

That's all folks!

The hills are alive with......

wild asparagus collectors. This year has turned out to be a good year with lots of moisture and enough warmth for there to be a good crop.

I was traumatized by asparagus when working in a restaurant one school holiday and having to wrap two spears of tinned asparagus in a slice of tinned ham. - X 200. I don't think asparagus will ever pass my lips. More for everyone else I say.

Four seasons in one day

Not quite, but over the last week we have had a kaleidoscope of weather from across the meteorological spectrum. We have had rain with sleet, boiling sunshine, pouring rain with thunder and lightning, grey miserable, hopeful blue, dank, seeping wet and cold the lot.

La Nina is responsible I believe.

Money money money

There has been some research done in Spain by Uex indicates that less irrigation of olive trees results in better olive oil with greater health benefits.

This for me just indicates like all things done naturally with the minimum or no interference from man is generally better. Irrigation would only be used to increase fruit size and therefore fruit yield from a tree. The impact on quality would not be a discussion.

This is the sunset from a few nights ago.

Strada dell' olio DOP Umbria

Casa Margherita has joined the above which is a marketing channel for tourism promotion here in Umbria. It is a good link for information if you are planning to come to Umbria - www.stradaoliodopumbria.it

Otherwise we had some very welcome rain overnight and the occasional shower during the day. The forecast has more to come which is good as the fertiliser for the olives might finally get washed down to their roots.

Roma

Just spent a few days in Rome recharging the batteries. It was a way overdue trip as we worked out the last time we when there was 2009 which is shameful really as it's only a couple of hours by train.

We saw a couple of exhibitions and explored the Monti area which is full of designer shops, bars and restaurants - buzzing. It's just a few steps from Cavour metro station. Well worth a look.

Had some really nice food the worst of which was some overpriced Italian.

Also, I don't know how many k's we walked but wow the dog's we're howlin'.