Join A GROWING PASSION host and garden expert, Nan Sterman, as she explores farms, vineyards, gardens, native habitats and more throughout California and the West. By the time Franciscan monks planted the first olive tree at Mission San Diego de Alcala, humans had been cultivating their bitter fruits for thousands of years, primarily to burn their oil.
By the early 1900s, San Diego County's renowned olive industry supplied the region's huge tuna canneries. Today, fruiting olive trees are again popular for commercial orchards as well as for home gardens.
On "For The Love Of Olives," we meet a home gardener inspired to plant olive trees by childhood memories of fresh olive oil in his mother's Middle Eastern kitchen. We tour groves of the region's largest olive grower and olive oil producer. We discover olive varieties best for curing and eating, and others are best for gourmet oil.
Viewers learn how to grow olive trees, and how to deal with the dreaded olive fruit fly that can destroy entire crops.
We see how olives are pressed for oil, olive oil tasting techniques, and the stunning array of delicious dishes made to show off olives' golden green smoothness.
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About The Series:
More and more San Diegan's strive to make environmentally and economically responsible choices. From earth-friendly and water wise gardens to organic foods and habitat restoration, we demand options that protect our health, feed our communities, and protect our natural resources. A GROWING PASSION is an Emmy-winning lifestyle program that explores San Diego County's agriculture and horticulture.
