Welcome Sybil or is it Bridget?

Our neighbours Guiseppe and Reggine have adopted this kitten who has taken wonderfully to their kindness and affection and is enjoying the delights here of Rachel's printing press in her studio - see my earlier blog of 2 May The Hay Barn.

She was a bit thin when she arrived so is on a good diet of meat and pasta. All cats and dogs here are fed a diet which includes pasta. This can be bought in great sacks from any garden/animal supplies outlet.

As to the name Rachel refers to here as Sybil and Guiseppe calls her Bridget although I am sure she doesn't mind what she is called as long as the mince keeps on arriving and she gets lots of affection.

Medoliva - Olive Oil Exhibition

Took a trip up to Arezzo today which is about 1 3/4 hours north of us over in Tuscany.

We went to have a look at the above bi-annual exhibition to check out what new equipment there was and what were the latest ideas and issues in the world of olive oil. Picked up some ideas and new contacts which was useful.

It was interesting, but you got the feeling that is wasn't quite as busy and there were not quite as many exhibitors as there had been in previous years. The effect of the recession or 'la crisi' as it is called here.

Still good day away from the grove and a nice plate of Pici al ragu for lunch- Pici is a traditional Tuscan pasta and is like a very fat spaghetti.

Best Ever Lemon Cake

As usual on a Friday we went to Trevi for the market and popped into our butcher which is run by a husband and wife team of Giovanni and Irena.

Irena told us that she had made the lemon cake recipe from our website and thought it was fabulous and had passed it on to her daughter who was making a couple of the lemon cakes.

It is a good recipe (thanks Caryll) because it uses olive oil instead of butter so the cake is very moist and last very well.

So if Trevi's best butcher says it's great why don't you have a go http://www.casa-margherita.com/olive-oil/recipes/lemon-cake.html

Olive Tree - Budding Flowers

Here is a picture of what stage most of trees in the grove are at. They are full of flower bud that just needs some sun to flower.

Spanish GP & Garden design

Good work by Alonso to secure 2nd on Sunday - fortunate that Hamilton had a wheel failure but he drove well and wasn't far off the pace of the Red Bull's. The result keeps him the hunt especially with Rosberg off the pace thanks to Mercedes redesigning the car solely for MSC.

Did get the ok to do a little garden design for our friends in Manciano - made a start yesterday but has rained for most of today resulting in a little pond ideal for ducks at the moment. Will get a photo up when finished and after the Chelsea Garden Show has finished!

Snacks, pasta and olive oil

Went to see our friends Massimo and Gabriella at their Enoteca, Vincanta, yesterday for a glass of wine some of their great snacks - this time a spicy tomato tuna on bruschetta amongst others.

After we came back to Trevi to have a plate of pasta at La Vecchia Posta. It has the best position of all the restaurants in Trevi being located in the small central Piazza with an outdoor seating eating area - great in summer.

We decided to have a salad after the pasta and teased the owner, Marco, over his choice of olive oil ie. it wasn't ours. He confirmed that it came from the Manciano area of Trevi and ordered 12 bottles on the spot.

This makes in the first time I have been out to dinner and then return home richer than when I left.

Olive Varieties in the Grove

Here at CM we have around 500 trees of which 95% are moraiolo and the other 5% are split between leccino and frantoio. These are the classic Umbrian olive varietals.

The moraiolo is sterile and so needs to be planted with polinators such as leccino and frantoio but is very hardy.

Some newer groves are being planted with Pendolino and this is a great polinator and has a high fruit yield.

All of these are for oil production only and are not eating varieties. The fruit is extremely bitter and leaves a quite nasty taste in the mouth if eaten. The oil however, is fruity and strong flavoured.