Harvest time is here again, the trees are heavy with ripening olives and the press is already busy. We currently have large pickling varieties, Verdale, Kalamata and UC13A6 (Californian Queen) at optimum ripeness available for Pick Your Own harvesting at $2.50 per kg. We can provide harvesting baskets, crates, etc and also a recipe for making your own table olives. We can also supply specialised pickling containers so all you need to add is salt and water.

Our oil varieties will soon be ready for harvesting at 60c per kg plus our usual processing charges. If you’d like your very own cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil but don’t have any trees then no problem. Come along in the morning and go home in the afternoon with your freshly pressed “olio novello”.

It’s always a good idea to give us a call before you make the trip to check availability.

“Enjoy magnificent views of Mt Bakewell from an historic  farmhouse (c.1880) on a 6 acre rural property, including a one acre Shiraz vineyard & elegant gardens.” Visit www.hopefarmguesthouse.com.au for further details or call Chris & Elaine McElroy on 08 9641 2183.

June’s not that far away, so the organisers have issued a “call for stallholders” who would like to show their wares to get in early.

More details about the festival can be found here: http://www.avoneventsandmarketing.com or contact Tanya Richardson by phone: 0429 260 537 or Email: tanya1973@skymesh.com.au

Regulars to the festival should note the new date in early June, rather than the last weekend in June where it was scheduled in years past.

ITALY FACES MIXED OLIVE OIL SCANDAL
Four out of five bottles of Italian olive oil are being adulterated with lower quality oil from other Mediterranean countries, a police investigation has discovered.
Producers have been accused of meeting greater worldwide demand by mixing in cheaper oil from Greece, Spain, Morocco and Tunisia and passing it off as top-end extra virgin oil.
Investigators became suspicious when they noticed that Italy, Europe’s second largest producer of olive oil behind Spain, was importing more than it was exporting – 470,000 tonnes against 250,000 tonnes. The investigation involved the Italian customs service and the Guardia Finanza, or fraud squad, with the encouragement of Coldiretti, an agricultural organisation.
A spokesman for Coldiretti said there was an “agro-mafia” of dishonest producers and manufacturers. “It involves 13 of the biggest olive oil producers – there are some very famous names,” Stefano Masini, the organisation’s spokesman said.
He said the fraud was being organised by a “cartel” of importing and distributing companies. The stakes are high – the Italian olive oil sector is worth an estimated €5 billion (£4.2 billion, A$6.2 billion) a year.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8978053/Four-out-of-five-bottles-of-Italian-olive-oil-debased.html

We will be open again as usual (10am to 5pm)  on Tuesday 27th December (a public holiday), Saturday 31st December, Sunday 1st January and Monday 2nd January, (New Year’s Day and New Year’s Day Holiday).

With our very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Arnaud, Jenny, Andy and Matt

Current flavours include Strawberry, Vanilla, Jarrah Honey, Rum & Raisins, Nougat, Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Hazelnut, Lemon Sorbet, Raspberry Sorbet and our new Vanilla Frisco (chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream on a stick). Just the thing now that summer’s here.

LOCAL IDENTITY MEETS
ANOTHER CHALLENGE

Above: Some award winning ice creams proudly displayed by Arnaud Courtin at the York Olive Oil Company shop and factory on Ashworth Road.

If there were awards for creativity, enterprise and willingness to take on a challenge there is one York resident who’d be high on the list of contenders.

Arnaud Courtin is well known for setting up the York Olive Oil Company with business partner, Jenny Baxter. Not only does the business process olives and market olive oil it has expanded into the making of other products including a range of award winning jams, chocolates and ice cream to give it continuity throughout the year.

On September 17 Arnaud added another success to his list of achievements. He completed a long held ambition to ride his pushbike to the top of Mont Ventoux in France three times in the one day. In so doing he qualified as a member of the Club des Cingles du Mont Ventoux that is, the Club of the Crazy Men of Mont Ventoux!

While French by birth, Arnaud is only the second Australian citizen to have achieved the feat in the over 60 category and one of only 290 in his age group and one of about 4,000 of any age to qualify in the club’s 24 years.

Mont Ventoux which rises 1,912 metres is familiar to followers of the Tour de France for its stark moonscape and the fact that its slopes are an unrelenting 10-11% from bottom to top, no matter which way you approach it. Furthermore, it has claimed the lives of a number of riders including at least one famous name in the Tour de France

Arnaud started his ride at 4.00am and finished at 4.30pm. To qualify for membership of the club, riders have to make the climb starting from three different towns, Bedoin, Malaucene and Sault. In all he covered 136 kilometres in the process.

“I’m always looking for a challenge and decided on Mont Ventoux after finishing the ride from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in the UK.  “While I ride to Beverley or Brookton twice a week and enter a number of sportives in WA and over east, nothing prepares you for something like Mont Ventoux. “I’ve been busy for the past 10 months doing my best to get ready,” Arnaud said

“I’m planning to have another go at Mont Ventoux next year but I’d like to have someone to ride with or to act as support. “If there is anyone out there who’d like to join me I would like to hear from them,” he said.

Bike riding has been one of Arnaud’s passions since he was a child. “I started riding again seriously six or seven years ago. “I have my own Randonneur touring bike and take it with me. “It  is made in Victoria of French design and looks a bit like a racing bike but is comfortable to ride and has appropriate gears. “I’m not out to break records just ride against my own times,” Arnaud said.

On his return to York, Arnaud was greeted with the news that the business had received two gold and six silver medals for chocolates, ice cream and jam at this year’s Perth Royal Show.

Lindsay McNeill: http://www.ydcm.com.au/

Arnaud Courtin nearing the end of one of his rides up Mont Ventoux.

Avon Valley Gazette, 24 September 2011
http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news/Detail/ArticleDetail.aspx?id=7603126

YORK chocolatiers and ice-cream makers Arnaud Courtin, Jenny Baxter and Matthew Chinn are putting the town on the confectionary map with a cluster of Perth Royal Show awards for their indulgent treats.

The chocolate won two first prize awards and two second price awards in the truffle category while the company’s ice-cream scooped four second prize awards.

Husband and wife co-owners Matt Chinn and Jenny Baxter said they were pleased to have the young company do so well at the Perth Royal Show.

“Good chocolate and ice-cream is simple – it’s a combination of good quality, local ingredients, no artificial ingredients and cost no object,” Mr Chinn said.

“Good craftsmanship comes into it as well, of course.”

Mr Courtin, who is head chocolatier, is in Europe visiting chocolate factories and cycling some of the continents most gruelling trails.

Mrs Baxter said he would return with even more secrets of the chocolate trade.

http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news/Detail/ArticleDetail.aspx?id=7603126

York Olive Oil Co –  Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Bronze Medal

York Ice Cream Co – Vanilla Ice Cream – Silver Medal
York Ice Cream Co – Chocolate Ice Cream – Silver Medal
York Ice Cream Co – Jarrah Honey Ice Cream – Silver Medal
York Ice Cream Co – Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream – Silver Medal

York Chocolate Co – Chocolates Moulded – Third Place
York Chocolate Co – Chocolate Truffles Caramel – Silver Medal
York Chocolate Co – Chocolate Truffles Pistachio – Silver Medal
York Chocolate Co – Chocolate Truffles Coffee – Gold Medal
York Chocolate Co – Chocolate Truffles Raspberry – Gold Medal

York Jam Company – Apricot Jam – First Place

Award-winning chocolates, ice creams, jams and olive oil all in the same place?
You know where to come!

There are now seven flavours available; Jarrah Honey, Banana Brulée, Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Hazelnut (definitely not allowed to call it “Nutella”!), Nougat and Vanilla Bean. Our Vanilla Bean ice cream is prepared using SEVEN entire fresh, plump Madagascan vanilla beans per litre of milk.

Worth the trip to York!