The art of making olive oil is a practice that goes back thousands of years in Europe. Fast forward to today, and right here in Queen Creek you will find this ancient process continues at the Queen Creek Olive Mill. In addition to purchasing their oils at their on site market and enjoying the restaurant, you can also learn all about the making of their olive oils and get a tour of the facilities. The tour is called Olive Oil 101, and you get a mix of history, facts, and some tasting.
Spain, Italy, and Greece are historically the most well known producers of olive oil, but for the last 20 years the Queen Creek Olive Mill has been Arizona's only commercial producer of olive oil. The desert climate is ideal for the heat hardy olive trees and the high temperatures even put off the only pest known as the olive fly, making the olive grove completely pesticide free.
Our tour guide for the day, Taylor Jensen, has been with the Mill for three years as a customer service support administrator. She walked us around the grounds beneath the olive trees and amid picnic tables. We viewed an old world stone mill and a traditional olive oil press on display as she explained how each one had been used originally to extract the oil. The amphora, or large ceramic containers, were traditionally used for storage and are a far cry from the stainless steel storage units of today.
The tour of the Olive Mill is a walk through the tradition and years of olive oil production. A tour that takes you from the past to the present day and ends with the sleek new equipment of their single milling room where the oil is made. The machinery and technology of today is certainly impressive, yet it is also understanding exactly what it takes to go from farm to table that will leave the biggest impression on you. By the conclusion of the tour you will not only know the difference between robust, balanced, and delicate, but also know the difference in taste and standards.
The toil from harvest to filtration are not always seen, but they are certainly tasted in every bottle they make.
www.queencreekolivemill.com
'The tour of the Olive Mill is a walk through the tradition and years of olive oil production.'