Thank You Lars and Kevin

9 years ago

A lovely surprise came in the mail today.

A belated birthday gift from Lars and Kevin.

Olive oil from Olivas de Oro - from California.

Four different olive oils - Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Arbequina Reserve, Mission Reserve, Mission Blend and a flavoured "Basil" olive oil.

I have baguette dough on the go and I'm going to conduct my own taste test.

Lars, I can't tell you both how much this surprise touched my heart. Thank you dear friend.

~Ann

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Comments (7)

Lars
9 years ago
I'm glad you liked the surprise, and I'm also happy that it arrived okay. It took a long time to go through customs, which is one of the reasons it is so late. I was hoping that the olive company would be able to ship to Canada, but they do not, and so I had to wait until I got home to ship it.

Some of the oils have an intense flavor, and so they might be an acquired taste, but I thought you would be able to find a use for them. I very much enjoyed sampling different oils while in Paso Robles, and I thought this way you would be able to do the same.

These were from my favorite olive company, and the person there was very nice. We had to go on a gravel road to get there, and there was no one else there while we were there, but it was on a Monday.

I was surprised at how much I liked the basil oil, and I bought a large bottle for myself.

Enjoy!

Lars
annie1992
9 years ago
Lars, what a nice surprise for AnnT, and how sweet of you and Kevin to remember her birthday so deliciously. I'm sure she's going to put that to very good use.

I think olive oil tastings would be very interesting, and I'm going to remember that for the next time Elery and I visit California to see the grandkids.

Annie
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WANTED: Thank you Lars........again!!
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Update: The Shaker Lemon Pie was to die for! I took it to a church potluck on Sunday and thought some of those "good-Christians" were going to battle for the last piece. It's VERY easy. Slice 2 lemons very, very thinly (I kind of let them get too soft and the mandoline didn't like that...grin). Add 2 cups of sugar and macerate overnight in the fridge. The next day, add 4 beaten eggs and mix well. Pour into pie crust, top with second crust and bake at 350 degrees for ~45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Delicious. I made lemon curd from 2 more lemons. Served with angel food and fresh strawberries. No pics……..we gobbled it up! Maybe this weekend I’ll try a recipe from the cookbook. Of course I'll be taking party pictures, Annie..... Whether or not I post them is a whole 'nother question. :) Deanna
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Lars, thank you...
Q
Comments (1)
You are very welcome, Tricia! You've also been a great help to me, especially last summer (or the summer before). I haven't seasoned my pan because I brush oil on the surface using tongs and a folded up paper towel. I didn't know you could season steel. One thing I like about the pan is that it is very light and therefore I do not get fatigued using it! Lars
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Lars, thank you for the recipe!!!
Q
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I've been wanting to make your Strawberry Ice Cream recipe ever since it was recently reposted. A get-together with a small group of friends at my house gave me the opportunity to make it even more special with ice cream. I used extra strawberrys and a cookie as a garnish... and a sprig of mint. It was every bit as delicious as promised. This recipe is definitely a keeper. PS: I made it as written. Lars Strawberry Ice Cream About 2 quarts 3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1-1/2 cup sugar, divided 1-1/4 cups whole milk 2-3/4 cups heavy cream 2-3/4 1 tablespoon Cointreau or Grand Marnier (or 1-1/2 tsp vanilla) In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to maceratein the juices for 2 hours. Strain the berries, reserving juices. Mash or purée half the berries. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, reserved strawberry juice, mashed strawberries, and Cointreau. Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the reserved sliced strawberries and let mix in completely. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving. *Note: You can increase the Cointreau to 2 tablespoons to make a softer ice cream.
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Lars
9 years ago
Here are some trees from the Olivas de Oro ranch. Kevin took this photo because I kept forgetting to take my camera with me. Olive trees need a lot of space, as they drain a lot of nutrients from the soil. There are a few oak trees still interspersed among the olive trees.

Annie, there are a lot of places to go for olive oil tasting. I found out that there is a very good olive farm in Ojai, less than an hour from L.A. Ojai is a delightful town with nice restaurants, spas, and beautiful countryside. There are also olive farms in Temecula, where there are vineyards as well. I think Kevin and I will go there soon, as it is an easy day trip - we've been to Ojai several times, but will go back also.

Ann, I do think that bread (especially your sourdough) is a very good way to appreciate the olive oil. I especially like the Arbequina Reserve for its fruity flavor, but I also like the Mission Reserve, which was one of my favorites. The Arbequina won a silver award, but I did not know that at the time I bought it.

Annie, I look forward to your next visit to California!

Lars
lascatx
9 years ago
That's a great gift. We have been receiving some different olive oils as a Christmas gift from a family member for the last few years and I especially enjoyed comparing the varietals and blends. I saw your post about the tasting notes. I had never considered that as a goal for a trip, but I will now.

Ann, happy birthday and enjoy!
Islay_Corbel
9 years ago
How lovely. That photo is marvellous too!
mustangs81
9 years ago
How nice and thoughtful. I agree, bread is the way to test OO. I look forward to AnnT's report.

I remember working in LA then having to go to San Francisco the following week so I decided to drive instead of flying with the intention of stopping in Gilroy. I went through Ojai and loved the OO tasting opportunities. It was a fun weekend.
compumom
9 years ago
Cathy, you certainly made the most of business travel! ;-D

Lars (and Kevin) what a sweet and thoughtful gift! You're encouraging me to make plans to head to Avila and Ojai!

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Thank You Lars and Kevin

Comments (7)

Lars

annie1992

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