PASO ROBLES, Calif. — Harvest time is the most wonderful time of the year for the folks at Pasolivo Olive Orchard.
For three weeks, it's an all-hands-on-deck operation. General Manager, Master Blender and Level 2 Sommelier Marisa Bloch Gayton said the last days are extra fun because they make flavor-infused extra virgin olive oil.
"This year through our mill we're doing garlic, basil, red jalapen, and our brand new habanero," Bloch Gayton said.
The family-run business grows 12 varietals of olives and goes through a rigorous process to get the stamp of approval as extra virgin.
Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO for short, is the highest quality of olive oil and is loaded with health benefits. However, not all bottles marked as EVOO on store shelves are actually extra virgin.
“You want to look for a harvest date or a best buy date on a bottle, never a bottling date because you typically want to consume olive oil within two years of the harvest date," Bloch Gaytan said.
All of Pasolivo's olives are handpicked and processed through the mill the same day to get the best quality.
Along with today's red jalapenos, everything is ground to make a paste.
The oil eventually separates and is stored in vats until it's ready to be bottled.
During harvest, the family works until every olive is processed, but it's the time spent together that keeps nephew Dirk Gigerich coming back.
"I love being out here, I love being able to work on something that at the end of the day you get to taste," Gigerich said.
Pasolivo also values sustainability and aims to waste nothing.
The leftover paste is used as fertilizer, and the water goes back into the ground for reuse, which is vital in times of drought.
But the best part for Bloch Gayton is getting to taste the oil. She also offered some pro tips.
"You want to swirl the olive oil, you want to smell it, you want to slurp it…and then you swallow it," Bloch Gaytan said.
Paso Robles isn't just a destination for wine, as it's commonly known. It is also a place to experience extra virgin olive oil.
