With the Taste of Olive
With the Taste of Olive — that was the headline of the event that I held for the general public last Thursday at the Mediterranean museum in Stockholm. I had reached out to the museum during my fieldwork, so to explore the possibility of having an exhibition there once I defend my thesis, and boy, was I thrilled when they asked if I would like to share some experiences from my research already this fall! Beyond thrilled, I said yes immediately and started planning for making the best of evenings with a lecture on and the tasting of freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil from Apulia (and then some).
I had initially planned to travel extremely light to Stockholm, carrying only my purse as baggage, but had soon enough once I had got the request from the museum, packed no less than two suitcases full with freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil from some of the producers that I have been collaborating with during my fieldwork — the tastes of olive harvest and olive oil production della campagna 2021/2022 was going to Stockholm, and heavily so. Wanting to provide the audience with an even more delightful apulian experience, sort of wishing to invite them to some darling relishes of Puglia, I brought traditional aperitivo snacks, too. And so, with taralli from my favorite panificio in Ostuni and Leccino olives made traditionally in salamoia from the research collaborator Labbate, a splendid event was in motion. In addition to all those goodies, I also brought a suitcase stuffed with two kinds of friselline, meant for tasting the olive oils on, but also for the pure pleasure of enjoying pugliese delights in Stockholm.
TIDBITS FROM A TASTE OF OLIVE
Starting with a talk speaking to the traditions, methods, and practices involved in the becoming of olive oil from Apulia in time and space, seven extra virgin olive oils from the region were tasted.
PREPARATIONS FOR
A TASTE OF OLIVES
Buying EVOO and other goodies,
sterilizing, labeling, and filling bottles
I wish to thank the Mediterranean museum in Stockholm for giving me the opportunity to reach out to the public in such a fun and creative way as with the series With the Taste of… I also wish to thank all participants for making it such a lovely evening together. I had a blast and I hope they had too. Arrivederci!
