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<pre>I also got a gentle reminder from Sadoun about contributing, so here at
least is an introduction.

I live in Portland, Oregon, and I've been writing about the region's food
and restaurants for almost 20 years (you can read my work on my web site,
www.realgoodfood.com). I've cooked with olive oil for a long time, but
didn't get really interested about it until a trip to Italy a few years
ago. We became friends with the person who rented us our little house, and
I asked him where we could buy some good oil. He took us to one of the
local producers, and since he knew about my interest in food, performed a
test to see if I could pick which of several oils was the "best."

In a basement storage room carved from the hillside below the restored
abbey called Badia di Morrona, the oil from several stainless steel tanks
was drizzled out onto my finger. They were all good, but one was definitely
better, with that fruity taste and distinctive bite. The oil I picked had
been pressed in a newer press (at that time I didn't know enough about the
process to get the details), and it was considered by the producer to be
his "best." I bought a few liters to carry home with me and was completely
hooked on good oil.

Our next trip to the same village (Chianni, in western Tuscany) was in the
fall, just in time for the harvest. I tasted several just-pressed oils,
visited the frantoio, and carried home even more. We went back to Italy
again this fall (I'm married to the granddaughter of Sicilian
immigrants...we're not big travelers, but Judith feels like she's going
home when we visit Italy...and for someone like me, who lives to eat, there
are few places better). This time to Sicily, where we were too early for
the harvest (mid-October) but I found some very nice oil from the previous
year.

From these experiences, and at the urging of some of the olive oil
producers I've met in Italy, I decided to start a very small importing
business. I plan to go slowly, learn about importing, develop a market, and
see if I can at least break even. For now, I'm only dealing with Italian
oil from producers I already know (and my apologies to all of you
non-Italian producers of fantastic olive oil...I just need to stick with
what I know, at least for now). My ulterior motive, of course, is to keep
my own kitchen well-supplied with real good oil.

I've enjoyed reading the various postings and am learning quite a bit about
the vagaries of growing olives and producing good oil. I even bought the
Chatterton book, which brought a dose of reality to my own dreaming about
an Italian olive grove.

Jim Dixon
</pre>
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<pre>Perhaps the Australian group should send Jim some samples of Ozzie
(Australian) extra virgin olive oil -
Peter in Bendigo perhaps or Kent in South Australia?

Phil
</pre>
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<pre>Phil

Thanks for the prompt. Indeed I would gladly send a sample in my new
Bendigo Pottery jug that I collected today. Ben Pottery is Australia's
oldest working kiln. That, together with product from our nascent industry
seemed a good combination.

I have Jim's realgoodfood site listed to visit - sounds quite a good idea.

Regards
</pre>
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<pre>Good stuff Peter.

If there are any boutique foods merchants "lurking" (as John Sunckel in New
Zealand puts it - Hi John and welcome to the discussion group) and would
like to try samples of Australian extra virgin olive oil we could probably
put together a box for you to try. Peter Caird in Bendigo Victoria; Kent
Hallett in South Australia are producers of extra virgin olive oil products
and we at Tanja Olives will be this year. Are there any other regional
Australian growers/producers of extra virgin olive oil who might be
interested in showcasing our products for interested resellers on this
discussion group?

Phil Bramley
</pre>
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<pre>Good stuff Peter.

If there are any boutique foods merchants "lurking" (as John Sunckel in New
Zealand puts it - Hi John and welcome to the discussion group) and would
like to try samples of Australian extra virgin olive oil we could probably
put together a box for you to try. Peter Caird in Bendigo Victoria; Kent
Hallett in South Australia are producers of extra virgin olive oil products
and we at Tanja Olives will be this year. Are there any other regional
Australian growers/producers of extra virgin olive oil who might be
interested in showcasing our products for interested resellers on this
discussion group?

Phil Bramley
</pre>
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<pre>Phil

An excellent idea. See also the posting re the International showcasing in
Verona in Mar/Apr this year.


----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Bramley <bramleyp@one.net.au>
To: <OliveOil@onelist.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2000 9:23 AM
Subject: RE: [OliveOil] another new member


> From: "Phil Bramley" <bramleyp@one.net.au>
>
> Good stuff Peter.
>
> If there are any boutique foods merchants "lurking" (as John Sunckel in
New
> Zealand puts it - Hi John and welcome to the discussion group) and would
> like to try samples of Australian extra virgin olive oil we could probably
> put together a box for you to try. Peter Caird in Bendigo Victoria; Kent
> Hallett in South Australia are producers of extra virgin olive oil
products
> and we at Tanja Olives will be this year. Are there any other regional
> Australian growers/producers of extra virgin olive oil who might be
> interested in showcasing our products for interested resellers on this
> discussion group?
>
> Phil Bramley
>
>
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</pre>
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<pre>Hi Phil

Re sending Ozzie olive oil to Jim

I am always happy to send my olive oil to people who appreciate it. I
recently sent a bottle to the USA and I have a bottle in two of the
most outback places in Australia.

I recently came down through some of the more remote parts of Queensland
and sold olive oil in Brewarrina and Bourke. For the nonOzzie readers we
have a saying in Australia about places being 'back of Bourke'. Bourke
was the last inland port on the Darling River for paddlesteamers and was
a major centre. Therefore if you came from 'back of Bourke' you were a
long way out in the outback.

I can't always guarantee personal delivery to far off places but so far
good old Australia Post seems to be doing a good job

Kent
</pre>
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<pre>That's great Kent - what about a sample to remote and outback Bega and we
can do the same for you as soon as we press this year.

Regards,

Phil

Tanja Olives
90 Worlands Road
Tanja (near Bega)
New South Wales 2550
</pre>
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