Villa Capette, Monte San Savino
(Best of Tuscany)
We arrived just in time for lunch in the field. A great Italian spread with meat and cheese’s, wine, vin santo with biscotti.
Afterwards it was back to work with Manuela the “boss” in charge supervising her troops like an Army general. Not really, she was just trying to keep Daniel and Vic from acting like teenagers and horsing around while the rest of us worked.
Our timing this year was perfect as it was the weekend when their friends and family had come to help harvest olives. Every year that I have helped harvest it has been just me and Manuela, sometimes Daniel and occasionally a friend. I knew that on one weekend during the season that family and friends came and helped harvest olives. Lucky for us this was the weekend. Some we had met and some were new. The daughter Genny we had met with here with son Enrico and her husband Marano. Daniel’s best friend of over 25 years, Vic and his wife Sandy. Vic is a eye surgeon and his wife is from Tulsa. Vic’s sister Dani and her husband Guido. Dani got all the looks in her family and her husband was a handsome renaissance guy with a mild and caring manner. Guido is an IT guy in the day and a Shakespearian actor at night and a artist (he makes animals out of champagne top cages amongst other things). And several of Genny’s and Marano’s friends and their children.
In the field the chatter slipped back and forth between Italian and English for my benefit. Even when I could not follow their Italian, what I could understand was that these were all close friends really enjoying each others company, just by the constant laughter and tone of their voices.
How to Make Olive Oil
First, you dump your one ton of olives that where picked in 3 days in the hopper to be weighed....
"V" because it was a very, very small crop this year, the harvest is over......
...still pulling out stems after the washer, before it goes to the cleaner and crusher.....
.....as Daniel explains the process, which is very hard as it is very NOISEY in here....
...our olive mush being stirred ........
Others load into the Vespa Ape and head home.
And this is what it is all about. Over time it will turn the gold color that you see in the store. But, fresh like this it is fantastic and you immediately put it on warm bread and sample with a good wine!!
(Best of Tuscany)
There is nothing like coming home. What started as a trip to hide from the pain and agony of the U,S elections 10 years ago has turned into a second home and family. How could you not feel that way when you pull in and Manuela throws her arms and yells "Ken, Vicki" with tears in her eyes. When you walk to olive orchard Daniel leaves his friends and coming running with open arms saying "Ken and Vicki Welcome, welcome, welcome" This place has come to by our second home complete with family. They invited us into their world in 2004 and it is beautiful place. Not just the villa, and the views, and the Tuscany area, it is beautiful in the sincere Italian family we have here now.
We arrived just in time for lunch in the field. A great Italian spread with meat and cheese’s, wine, vin santo with biscotti.
Afterwards it was back to work with Manuela the “boss” in charge supervising her troops like an Army general. Not really, she was just trying to keep Daniel and Vic from acting like teenagers and horsing around while the rest of us worked.
 |
| Vic, Manuela, and Daniel. "He started it" |
Our timing this year was perfect as it was the weekend when their friends and family had come to help harvest olives. Every year that I have helped harvest it has been just me and Manuela, sometimes Daniel and occasionally a friend. I knew that on one weekend during the season that family and friends came and helped harvest olives. Lucky for us this was the weekend. Some we had met and some were new. The daughter Genny we had met with here with son Enrico and her husband Marano. Daniel’s best friend of over 25 years, Vic and his wife Sandy. Vic is a eye surgeon and his wife is from Tulsa. Vic’s sister Dani and her husband Guido. Dani got all the looks in her family and her husband was a handsome renaissance guy with a mild and caring manner. Guido is an IT guy in the day and a Shakespearian actor at night and a artist (he makes animals out of champagne top cages amongst other things). And several of Genny’s and Marano’s friends and their children.
In the field the chatter slipped back and forth between Italian and English for my benefit. Even when I could not follow their Italian, what I could understand was that these were all close friends really enjoying each others company, just by the constant laughter and tone of their voices.
How many olive pickers does it take to empty a wheelbarrow?
"1 olive, 2 olives, 3 olives......"
Sandy working while Vic is on a smoke break.
Teaching a son about the saw
Teaching a grandson to pick olives
olives are hard work so Spotty and I took a little rest.
The dog knows how to set and shake hands, but training the children was difficult.
calling it a day
We were invited to dinner with the gang. The children were fed separately and first and the ten adults sat down to platters of sausage, steak, salad and desert. Along with wine from the Villa and a very good 11 year old wine that Vic brought. Though no one at the table was a big drinker, Manuela brought out every bottle that their guests had ever brought them. Thirteen in total. There were common things like Havana Rum and Jack Daniels. Then there were bottles from Finland and countries unknown that ranged from no smell to Vick’s vapor rub. These were passed around and went back in the cabinet pretty much they way they came out. There were a few samples but few takers.
Grilling by the light of the Iphone.
Guido braves the Vicks.....
How to Make Olive Oil
First, you dump your one ton of olives that where picked in 3 days in the hopper to be weighed....
"V" because it was a very, very small crop this year, the harvest is over......
...still pulling out stems after the washer, before it goes to the cleaner and crusher.....
.....as Daniel explains the process, which is very hard as it is very NOISEY in here....
...our olive mush being stirred ........
one of the old machines
...and out of the pressing machines comes olive oil.......
Others load into the Vespa Ape and head home.
And this is what it is all about. Over time it will turn the gold color that you see in the store. But, fresh like this it is fantastic and you immediately put it on warm bread and sample with a good wine!!
