California
Olive Oil |
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Volume 1 Issue 4 |
September 1998 |
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Richmond, California – Nicola Critelli, the Italian immigrant who founded the Critelli California Olive Oil, has announced that Serafino Bianchi will lead the company into the next millenium. Bianchi, an Alamo resident, is an entrepreneurial business and community leader. He is the founder of Educare Management Corporation/Bianchi Schools in Contra Costa County and former president of Equimax Real Estate Services. Bianchi has served as both a planning commissioner and city councilman for the city of Clayton. Since taking the Critelli helm this June, Bianchi and the company’s new General Counsel, Curtis Woo, have created and are implementing an aggressive two-year business plan. Already in the works is the addition of a second Alpha Laval mill (olive crusher). The machine is being flown from Milan, Italy to the Richmond factory and is expected to arrive at the end of this month. With the addition of this new mill, the company will double its crushing capacity. Critelli, which leases a grove of 1,000 olive trees from the East Bay Regional Park District in Pleasanton, is also contracting to buy olives from growers throughout California. According to Bianchi there is already a commitment for between 1,500 and 3,000 tons of olives which will be delivered and crushed into extra virgin olive oil from October to March. In addition the company will be crushing over 200 tons of olives for Reas’ Olive Ranch in Arizona. In preparation for the increased output, the company, which already has two 6,000 and two 4,000 gallon storage tanks, has just purchased and installed five more tanks, giving them a storage capacity of over 35,000 gallons. Bianchi says his goal is "to propel Critelli Olive Oil, Co. to new heights. The olive oil industry in California is undergoing a major transformation and the eyes of the world are waiting to see what develops." This year he projects that the company will produce over 120,000 gallons of olive oil, making Critelli one of the largest producers of extra virgin olive oil in the country. The new company president added, "I think we will be on the forefront of this exciting new industry and I am pleased to play a part." Nicola Critelli, now Chairman of the Board, says he is proud that the company’s new president "was also born and raised in Italy." He adds that "my American dream keeps getting better and better. Serafino has the best qualities, he’s one of the smartest businessmen I know, a good friend and for me, who was trained as a chef, it’s important that he’s also a good cook. He loves olive oil as much as I do!" California
October November 1999 February 8th International Oleum - Jaen, Spain December 1998 |
Questions and Answers from the Internet: Margaret Gompertz writes: Love your site! I'm looking for Kalamatas olive trees. I found the Australian website but would like to get them in this country if I could. Any idea where I can get them in the US, California if possible? Thanks for your help! Best regards, OOS replies: Did you look under the suppliers section at The Olive Oil Source? Listed are several nurseries selling olive trees. Some sell up to 60 varieties. Steve Mains writes:I am looking for an olive oil press for home use, hoping to produce a gallon or 2 of oil. Any suggestions of who would sell a small hand press? Thanks OOS replies: You stumped us. Any readers have suggestions? The smallest presses we've seen are still pretty big for home use. Of course you could grind olives to a paste in any kind of grinder/blender/food mill and press it with a home built gadget but making olive oil is not usually a home hobby. If you can get together enough olives you can bring them to a commercial press but you may be getting mostly the oil from the guy in line in front of you. Pickling olives is definitely something many people do and there is loads of information at the UC Davis site and in their publications. Sandy Evans writes:We were having lunch today and the subject of olive oil came up. Do you make oil olive out of green olives or black? I have been looking on the WEB, but didn't find the information we were looking for. Thanks for your help. OOS replies: Good Question - Olives start out green and will eventually turn black on the tree. Oil made from green olives will often have a "greener" or grassy taste with some hints of pepper. Oil made from the black olives will often have a more mellow, buttery taste. Most producers will blend early and late pressings to get the flavor they want in the oil they sell. Consider also that more mature olives will have a greater yield of oil. Canned olives are picked green then chemically treated to get their black color.Copyright © 1997 [The Olive Oil Source]. All
rights reserved.
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