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Posted: 2026-02-19 07:06
For The Essence of the Olive series, it's time to dip into Spanish olive oil. A couple years ago I attended the Spain's Great Match -- a celebration of Spanish wine, spirits, and gastronomy. This event included a deep dive into Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil through a trio of producers which included a brief history lesson. Spanish olive oil has long been one of the quiet cornerstones of Mediterranean agriculture, shaped by geography, climate, and centuries of cultivation. Olive trees arrived on the Iberian Peninsula through Phoenician and Greek traders, and the Romans later expanded groves across what is now Andalusia, Extremadura, and Catalonia. Over time, Spain’s varied landscapes—ranging from the dry plains of La Mancha to the coastal hills of Tarragona—allowed different olive varieties to take root, each contributing to the country’s diverse oil‑making traditions. Today, Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil, but its identity is built less on volume and more on the regional character that defines each harvest. The country’s olive varieties are central to this diversity. Picual, the most widely planted, is known for its robustness, high polyphenol content, and a flavor profile that leans toward green tomato and fresh herbs. Arbequina, common in Catalonia and Aragón, produces a softer, fruitier oil with notes of almond and ripe apple. Hojiblanca, grown mainly in Andalusia, offers a balanced oil with a gentle bitterness and a hint of sweetness. Cornicabra, native to central Spain, yields an oil with a distinctive peppery finish. Together, these cultivars form the backbone of Spanish olive oil production, each suited to different culinary uses and regional preferences.
Within this broad landscape, some producers focus on preserving ancient agricultural heritage. Aceite Oleomile is one such example, working with protected millennial olive trees of the Farga variety—trees estimated to be between 500 and 2000 years old. These groves, primarily found in the Maestrazgo region of eastern Spain, represent a living link to early Mediterranean cultivation. The oil produced from Farga olives is typically delicate yet complex, with subtle fruit notes and a refined finish that reflects the slow, steady growth of trees that have witnessed centuries of human history. Oleomile’s work highlights not only the cultural value of these ancient trees but also the importance of maintaining traditional landscapes in a modern agricultural economy.  Verde Esmeralda is a Spanish producer known for crafting premium extra‑virgin olive oils with a strong sense of regional identity and careful attention to detail. The company began in the province of Jaén, the heartland of Spanish olive cultivation, where generations of growers have shaped the landscape around Picual and other traditional varieties. Verde Esmeralda built its reputation by combining this heritage with a modern, design‑driven approach to presentation and small‑batch production. Their oils are primarily made from Picual olives, celebrated for their intensity, high antioxidant content, and characteristic notes of tomato leaf and green fruit. In some limited editions, they also work with Royal olives, a native variety of Jaén that produces a softer, more aromatic oil with floral undertones. Together, these cultivars allow Verde Esmeralda to offer oils that reflect both the strength of Andalusian tradition and the refinement of contemporary artisanal milling.  Pago de Valdecuevas is a family‑run producer based in the Montes Torozos area of Castilla y León, a region where olive cultivation has been revived after centuries of decline due to climate and historical shifts in agriculture. The project began when the Martín family decided to restore traditional groves and invest in a modern mill, combining the area’s long‑standing connection to the land with contemporary extraction techniques. Their oils are primarily made from Arbequina olives, a variety well suited to the cooler inland climate and known for producing smooth, aromatic oils with notes of green fruit and almond. In smaller quantities, they also work with Picual, which adds structure and a more robust, peppery character. Together, these varieties allow Pago de Valdecuevas to offer balanced, high‑quality extra‑virgin olive oils that reflect both the terroir of northern Spain and the family’s commitment to careful, sustainable production. Spanish olive oil continues to evolve, balancing innovation with respect for its deep roots. Whether through large‑scale cooperatives, small family mills, or specialized producers working with ancient trees, the country’s oils reflect a long tradition shaped by climate, culture, and careful stewardship of the land.
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Posted: 2026-02-16 15:08
Earlier this month I attended the Maryland's Best Expo in Annapolis which is a program from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to connect farmers, watermen, and other businesses to consumers. I was mostly attracted to the event because of the participating distilleries and wineries starting with Oversea Distillery in Columbia and their Baijiu and whiskies. Then there was Pathfinder Farm Distillery and their red corn moonshine; rum galore from St. Michaels Maryland and Lyon Rum; sugar based moonshine from our friends at Rosie Cheeks and finally canned cocktails and craft spirits from Frederick’s Tenth Ward. I specifically wanted to interact with Dodon Vineyards to learn more about their regenerative farming and expect much content and a site visit early next month. I was delighted to see the German inspired wine from Penn Oaks Winery and later the classic red wines from Black Ankle Vineyards. Mully’s Brewery represented Maryland craft brewers showcasing their unique expressions from southern Maryland.
Then there were oysters - should pair with the Dodon Sauvignon Blanc or could have previewed the Department of Agriculture’s beer and oyster program. There was plenty of dairy like Chesapeake Gold Farm & South Mountain Creamery. Mushrooms, pies, really delicious pies, lots of honey and a reminder for the Guinness Open Gate Brewery Honey Ale coming out in March. More produce, My Dad’s Chips, and Rancher Shane’s Beef Jerky.
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Posted: 2026-02-12 15:47
 This month we attended the Maryland's Best Expo in Annapolis which is a program from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to connect farmers, watermen, and other businesses to consumers. Columbia's Oversea Distillery poured at the event and Distiller Bret Kimbrough introduced me to their fascinating portfolio that includes gin, rum, single malt whisky, bourbon, and baijiu. Even though Baijiu is one of the world’s most widely consumed spirits, I am relatively unfamiliar with the spirit and Bret related its long history, regional diversity, and distinctive production methods.Baijiu is a distilled spirit traditionally made from grains—most commonly sorghum, though wheat, rice, corn, and barley also appear depending on the region. It is typically bottled at a high proof and is known for its aromatic intensity, which varies widely across styles.
 Baijiu’s origins trace back more than a thousand years. Early Chinese distillation techniques developed during the Song and Yuan dynasties, but the spirit took on its recognizable modern form during the Ming and Qing periods. Over time, regional practices solidified into distinct styles, each shaped by local climate, available grains, and fermentation traditions. By the 20th century, baijiu had become deeply embedded in social and ceremonial life across China. It remains a central part of banquets, business gatherings, and holiday celebrations.Baijiu production relies on solid‑state fermentation, a method that uses a starter culture called qu. Qu is a mixture of grains inoculated with naturally occurring yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Producers add qu to steamed grains and allow fermentation to occur in pits, jars, or stone vessels depending on the regional style. After fermentation, the mash is distilled—often multiple times—and the resulting spirit is aged and blended. Aging vessels range from clay jars to stainless steel tanks, and blending is considered a core skill in shaping the final flavor. The primary Chinese Baijiu offered at Oversea Distillery is produced by the Wangdao Distillery Co. located in the city of Ordos in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region and then bottled in Columbia. The spirit is crafted using a mash bill of sorghum, barley, and pea and then aged in pottery jars. Oversea also offers a barrel aged version of this baijiu - the Oversea 6 Years Aged Baijiu - which is aged for over 6 years in China, then finished for one additional year in our Oversea used whiskey barrels in Maryland. Of the two I preferred the fresh, clean, and floral character of the original Chinese Baijiu that also shows some melon and bitter herbs. Oversea Distillery includes Baijiu in several cocktail recipes such as the Baijiu Cosmo (Vodka, Baijiu, Triple Sec, Lime, Cranberry), Baijiu Mango Margarita (Baijiu, Mango, Triple Sec, Lime), and the Genghis Khan Mule (Baijiu, Vodka, Lime, Ginger Beer). May I offer a variation of the Genghis Khan as a Dark n' Stormy (Baijiu, Rum, Lime, Ginger Beer). Cheers and happy sipping.
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Posted: 2026-02-07 08:26
 Just as Thomas Volney Munson devoted a great deal of his life to collecting and documenting American native grape varieties, John and Josephine Riley travelled throughout the world collecting and documenting hundreds of apple trees. Over 30 years ago they planted an orchard on the secluded Bowen Island (British Columbia) to cultivate these trees and today the orchard consists of about 1,000 different apple varieties. Most of these are from North America but there are plenty that originated from Europe to Central Asia.  Five years ago Christine Hardie and Rob Purdy asked the Riley's for help in establishing Riley's Cidery and eventually took over the living tree museum. The trees are listed in a binder located in the tasting room and the 2023 Long Lost Apples is composed of the juice from all the apples harvested from the orchard. This is a time consuming project because the apple ripen at different times and some trees only produce fruit every other year. Thus approximately 500 apple varieties went into this cider that combines tartness with a nice tannic body. Fresh acidity livens the finish.
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Posted: 2026-01-29 07:00
Across the Mediterranean, Xylella fastidiosa has become one of the most destructive plant pathogens in modern European agricultural history, reshaping entire landscapes and threatening a cultural legacy built on thousands of years of olive cultivation. What began as an isolated detection in southern Italy has evolved into a regional crisis, with the bacterium spreading through parts of Spain, France, and beyond. Its impact is profound: ancient groves are dying, rural economies are destabilizing, and the ecological balance of traditional olive‑growing regions is under unprecedented strain. The most widely supported hypothesis is that Xylella fastidiosa entered Italy on an imported coffee plant from Costa Rica sometime in 2008. At the heart of the devastation is the way Xylella fastidiosa attacks the olive tree. The bacterium colonizes the xylem—the vessels responsible for transporting water and nutrients—gradually clogging them until the tree can no longer sustain itself. The result is Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS), a condition marked by leaf scorch, branch dieback, and the rapid collapse of the entire canopy. Once symptoms appear, the decline is often irreversible. The disease spreads primarily through sap‑feeding insects, especially the meadow spittlebug, which thrives in Mediterranean climates and can move easily between wild vegetation and cultivated groves.  The outbreak in Puglia, Italy, remains the most dramatic example of the pathogen’s destructive potential. Since its detection in 2013, millions of trees—some more than a thousand years old—have died. Entire landscapes once defined by silvery olive canopies now stand barren, their skeletal remains a stark reminder of how quickly the disease can transform a region. The emotional toll on farming families, many of whom have tended the same groves for generations, is as significant as the economic loss. Olive oil production in affected zones has plummeted, and the region’s iconic agrarian identity has been deeply shaken. Spain, the world’s largest olive oil producer, has also faced serious challenges. The Balearic Islands and parts of mainland Spain have recorded multiple subspecies of Xylella, some of which infect not only olives but also almonds, grapes, and ornamental plants. The diversity of host species makes containment especially difficult. Unlike Puglia’s relatively concentrated outbreak, Spain’s cases are more dispersed, complicating eradication efforts and raising concerns about long‑term persistence.  Governments and researchers have mobilized aggressively, though progress is slow. Traditional farming practices—such as maintaining grassy understory vegetation—can inadvertently support spittlebug breeding, forcing growers to rethink long‑standing land‑management habits. Containment zones, mandatory tree removal, and restrictions on plant movement remain central strategies, but they are controversial and emotionally painful for affected communities. On the scientific front, hope lies in tolerant olive cultivars such as Leccino and FS‑17, which show resilience against the bacterium and are now being planted widely in Puglia. Researchers are also exploring biological controls, improved vector management, and advanced diagnostic tools to detect infections earlier. Still, the path forward is complex. Xylella fastidiosa is notoriously difficult to eradicate once established, and the Mediterranean’s interconnected agricultural systems make long‑term vigilance essential. The crisis has become a defining test of how Europe responds to emerging plant diseases in an era of globalized trade and climate instability. What remains clear is that the Mediterranean’s olive heritage—its landscapes, its economies, its cultural identity—faces a generational challenge. Yet amid the devastation, there is resilience: farmers replanting with tolerant varieties, scientists pushing the boundaries of plant pathology, and communities rallying to protect a symbol that has defined their region for millennia.
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