Olive Harvesting in Spain - Mechanical vs Hand Picked

Olive Harvesting in Spain - Mechanical vs Hand Picked
A very curious statement is printed on every bottle of certified extra virgin olive oil in Spain. The statement is: "Superior category of Olive Oil obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means." When I moved to Spain and began learning about extra virgin olive oil, I found this...
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Olive Oil Fraud – A US Court Ruling that Makes Sense but Complicates the Consumer Landscape

Olive Oil Fraud – A US Court Ruling that Makes Sense but Complicates the Consumer Landscape
Recently, a US District Court in Minnesota sided with one of the largest olive oil companies in the world, and ordered a permanent injunction against further publication or dissemination of false and misleading information circulated on social media.  The main source for the information circulated on social media is a heavily read, referenced and criticized study … Continue reading Olive Oil Fraud – A US Court Ruling that Makes Sense but Complicates the Consumer Landscape
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Box Store Olive Oil Not Up to Par – Even in Spain!

Box Store Olive Oil Not Up to Par – Even in Spain!
More than half of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) sold in Spanish supermarkets and superstores does not pass standardized taste tests.  Wow! This, according to an article recently published in El Pais (a leading newspaper of Spain).  See article here. Of course this is controversial.  Olive oil merchants are intent on making a profit, and one … Continue reading Box Store Olive Oil Not Up to Par – Even in Spain!
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What was I thinking? Open a Ceramics Store in Seattle? What was I smoking?!

What was I thinking? Open a Ceramics Store in Seattle? What was I smoking?!
Six years ago in 2012, I was frantically preparing to open a “Holiday Store” in the largest mall in the Northwest US – in Tukwila, Washington (a suburb of Seattle, sort of near the airport).  I had run some numbers and was convinced that the margins allowed for factory direct purchase, importation into the US, … Continue reading What was I thinking? Open a Ceramics Store in Seattle? What was I smoking?!
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When the work days don’t end in Spain

When the work days don’t end in Spain
This is a tribute to the men and women of Macetas Gonzalez. Let me start by asking, “How many of us have worked long days?”  We all have probably?  Many workers face long days during seasons such as a harvest.  When the crop is ripe and the conditions are correct, days don’t quit until the … Continue reading When the work days don’t end in Spain
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Plate size – What’s in your Cupboard?

Plate size – What’s in your Cupboard?
Straight up?  This is a post about the importance of plate size.  In the States, the average dinner plate size has increased by a third since 1960 – from 9 inches to 12 inches. Bigger plates encourage larger portions and the consumption of more calories.   In 1961, the average US citizen consumed 2,880 calories per … Continue reading Plate size – What’s in your Cupboard?
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