Travel - Ahwatukee Foothils
Queen Creek Olive Mill
Tours, tastings and lunch comprise a foodie’s dream
By Judy Wade and Bill Baker
September 3, 2008
When it comes to being green, Queen Creek Olive Mill is the poster child.
Almost a dozen varieties of olives are grown using sustainable farming methods with no pesticides to produce a product that is completely natural and unrefined.
We were impressed, even before we stopped by. When we finally did venture the 45 minutes from Ahwatukee Foothills to the mill, we discovered a foodie’s dream.
Fragrant, flavorful olive oil has been around since biblical times. For the ancient Greeks, it was body lotion. Homer considered it "liquid gold." It’s been used as medicine, food and to anoint the heads of honored heroes. The tree’s leafy branches have become symbols of peace and emblems of abundance. Olive oil has a storied history that makes chefs smile and diners rave.
For us, it’s what we put on our pasta along with freshly-grated asiago, it’s the foundation for our salad dressings, and it’s a key ingredient in the savory tapenades we spread on thin slices of ciabatta. We found them all in abundance at Queen Creek Olive Mill.
Olive Tour
At the mill, we joined half a dozen other olive lovers in a small grove adjacent to the Tuscan-style patio for an introduction to different types of olives and how they are harvested. The 11 varieties grown at Queen Creek vary from tiny marble-like arbequinas to golf ball-size Sevillanos, which often are stuffed.
In the mill itself, a guide explained the processes of milling the olives to paste, mixing the paste, and extracting the oil. The gleaming machines were brought from Italy by mill owner Perry Rea and his wife Brenda.
Once the oil is pressed, the final, critical touch comes from the Master Blender, who puts his signature on the finished product, determining how flavor attributes – grassy, peppery, fruity, bitter or buttery – are combined to create the perfect condiment.
Oils are then stored in oxygenfree stainless steel tanks where it stays fresh, bottled only as needed to fill customer orders.
Olive Tasting
Armed with newfound knowledge, we headed for the tasting bar, where oils, olives and tapenades are freely offered. A large Greek oregano and creamed feta-stuffed olive quickly rose to the top of our favorites list, closely followed by jalapeno Mexican lime-stuffed olives. The ones filled with sun-baked tomato and basil also were irresistible.
We moved on to tapenades, where the artichoke and roasted garlic blend immediately won us over. The hand-crafted, extra-virgin olive oils themselves were as distinctive as vintage wines. Perry Rea joined us to explain that the Tuscan Estate EVOO is the mill’s signature oil. Its fruity start, grassy overtones and peppery finish make it the ideal allpurpose EVOO.
Before visiting the mill, we’d tasted its product at Kai, the Five Diamond restaurant at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass just south of Ahwatukee Foothills. The smooth, mild olive oil served there is blended especially for the restaurant, and is available for purchase in the gift shop.
Queen Creek also blends a custom oil for Pizzeria Bianco, which consistently garners best-pizza-in-Phoenix honors.
After sampling, we settled in to del Piero, the little on-site restaurant, to reconnoiter before browsing the mill market. Open for breakfast and lunch, del Piero’s menu includes organic produce and herbs from the mill garden, as well as meats from The Pork Shop, a nearby purveyor of sausages, bacon, smoked meats and all things pork-related.
A kalamata sandwich and caprese bruschetta, served with a selection of (what else?) olives, were outdone only by the gelato that we couldn’t resist for dessert. Not to be missed are blood orange and limoncello. As with olives, you can request a sample before investing tastebuds in a whole dish or cone.
The mill store is happy hunting grounds for any gift you plan to give to anyone who loves food. The oils, olives and tapenades are marvelous, and can be packed in gift boxes and shipped. There’s also a selection of bath and shower products, as well as fresh artisan breads baked by Willo using the mill’s special recipes. A selection of Italian boutique wines has been selected to perfectly complement the olive products.
A day trip to Queen Creek Olive Mill fulfills multiple travel quests. It gets you out of town, it offers a fresh, new experience, it puts you in touch with a socially responsible company, and it doesn’t take a lot of gas.
We’re planning on doing a major portion of our holiday shopping there.
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