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Sunday, May 07, 2000
I've been to my share of olive oil tastings, but none was more persuasive than a recent one at the Hyeholde Restaurant in Moon. The olive oil that Franco Lombardi and his family make on their farm in Tuscany may not be the only pure oil on the market, but it seems certain, from the care taken, that none could be more pure.
Wine is the money maker in the Chianti region where Il Pornanino is produced. Olive trees thrive in the same soil. Lombardi, a civil engineer, was surprised to find a grove of olive trees thriving on an abandoned farm he'd bought for his retirement. He began making oil just for the pleasure of doing it. The venture turned into a business when the friends and family to whom he sent the results begged for more. "Christmas is coming, Franco. Promise you won't forget us."
Essentially, his commitment is to hand labor, from picking to crushing to bottling. Chemicals are never permitted, either on or near the trees. He goes so far as to bring in chemical-free fertilizers from Germany.
To overcome certain obstacles, Lombardi has used his skill as an engineer to invent new methods for separating oil from natural vegetable water, avoiding the application of heat. What results is a silky olive oil, unfiltered, with the requisite green cast and an acid content of 0.5 percent, half the allowable percentage for "extra-virgin."
It is a mild-flavored oil with a bit of a bite at the back for character. This is an oil to use for drizzling over Italian-style antipasti, pasta, meats, vegetables and salads. It is only available from the maker, who controls the storage of the oils as a way to monitor shelf life.
For information about ordering, write Franco Lombardi, Az. Agricola Pornanino, 53017 Radda, Chianti, Siena, Italy; phone 011-39-0577-738-658; fax 011-39-0577-738-794; or e-mail oliveoil@ chiantionline.com. Web site is www.oliveoil. chiantionline.com. Il Pornanino sells for $26 per half-liter bottle when ordered in a six-bottle case. It is available only in boxes of six, 12, 18 or 24 bottles.
1 pound dried Great Northern or cannellini beans, see note
Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches, and let soak overnight.
Drain beans and return to pan. Add 6 cups water, 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped sage and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover partially; simmer until beans are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to bowl. Drizzle with more olive oil. Makes 6 servings.
Note: Toadflax, Shadyside, has a limited supply of high-quality dried beans from Twin Falls, Idaho.
Bon Appetit
Ann and Gordon Ketterer, architects from Pittsburgh with a sugar bush in Wilmington, Vt., report that Stone Mountain Farm maple syrup is ready to ship. Ann says that this year the quality is again high although, because of the sap's water content, it took 70 gallons, rather than the usual 40 gallons, to make one gallon of syrup. Since they use traditional production methods, it meant burning more wood under copper kettles. Ann is an old hand at syruping, and the farm where she works has been in her family for several generations.
Vermont considers itself "the maple sugar capital of the world." Last year, production amounted to 370,000 gallons, all of which had to meet the state's high standards.
Though the syrup is fairly priced, shipping costs add to it. One pint of syrup costs $7, but the UPS postage costs $6. One quart costs $13; the shipping costs $6.50. My friend Nancy Hanst, who is as nuts about this syrup as I am, took orders from her Herb Society to round out a case. The postage on 12 bottles is $13, bringing the case price to $88. A bottle of this syrup, which I hide in my purse when I go out for a pancake breakfast, makes a nice gift.
For information: Stone Mountain Farm, Box 247, Wilmington, VT 05363. 802-464-5238.
6 cups cold water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 large garlic clove, minced 