Sicilian Easter memories...and a few others

Has your Sicilian nanu ever piled 12 kids in his Edsel to drive to the Taste-Freeze on Easter Sunday afternoon?

Have your Sicilian grandparents ever bought cases and cases of 7-Up available around the clock for your enjoyment so you would never go thirsty?

Has your Sicilian nana made pan after pan of unbelievably delicious and mouthwatering homemade pizza out of a box of hot roll mix?

Have you ever had an Easter biscotti cookie, made just for you, large enough to hold an egg and last you for months as you scrape away at it with your baby teeth?

These are just a few of the wonderful memories I cherish about having two tiny Sicilians as my grandparents.  

They may have been teeny tiny but everything they did made a large impact on our family, especially at holiday time.

...I remember the turn signals in that Edsel...loud, melodic and clear as a bell over 12 screaming for joy kids.

...I remember the bubbles of the 7-Up as they burned through my nasal passages.

...I remember fighting over the last piece of pizza as it fell on the floor.

...I remember eating the egg of that biscotti cookie even though the white part was a creepy greenish-gray.

So it wasn't perfect.  So it wasn't classy.  So it wasn't safe.

We survived and more importantly...

 IT MADE US COMPLETELY HAPPY!

So, go make some imperfect, unclassy, unsafe memories with your family,

 and go have a very Happy Easter!

Suzanne @Le Farm

The "50 Shades" of Olive Oil...

I have a GREAT idea.

I am planting an olive grove.

In South Carolina.

{est-elle folle?...}

{yes, she is crazy...}

Ok, here are the scientific facts:  

1.  They love a mediterranean climate.

It is hot, moist and balmy here almost all the time.

2.  They love rich sandy loamy soil.

Already got it.

3.  The cannot tolerate a severe winter but can take some very cold temperatures 

down to 10 deg F.

It usually stays above 20 deg F in the winter and may dip down to the teens 

one or two nights a year.

4.  Extra virgin olive oil is apparently a scam, so I am going to make my own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqxZkhxtNbI

In investigating the planting of olive trees, I discovered this scandal around olive oil.  

I had no idea it wasn't real olive oil or not squeezed from beautiful little olives grown 

by Frances Mayes' neighbor in "Under the Tuscan Sun"...
(That alone burst my bubble.)

It's big business involving corruption and impostors.

...50 very grey shades.

My olive trees are already on their way from Oregon.

They are winter hardy and are French cultivar varieties.

It cost more to ship the twelve tiny trees than they actually cost, but I think worth every penny.

Because,

an olive grove on Le Farm translates to,

"Le Farm huile d'olive extra vierge",

without a shred of grey...anywhere.

...quelle bonne idée!

{What a great idea!}