By
Michael Walsh
California
grown olives are some of the highest quality and
best tasting in the world. Since the California
produce industry has such a strong world wide reputation,
it isn't any wonder that the California grown olive
is one of the worlds tastiest, if best kept secrets.
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Orland,
California growers Maurice and Cindy Penna
are the leaders in Northern California
olive growing. They are distinguished as the only
ripe style olive processor in Northern California.
M&CP Farmer have been producing pre-ripened
green olives since 1975 on farming land that has
been in the family since 1951. However, the olive
orchards themselves have been commercially viable
since 1915 and are some of the oldest in the state.
The focus for the Penna's is on quality olives and
olive produces that puts M&CP Farms
at the forefront of the custom packed fresh olive
market in California.
Most
of the Penna's olive production is shipped to upscale
markets in the Bay Area, the Reno-Tahoe and Sacramento
area and to winery tasting rooms in the Napa, Sonoma
and Monterey. The market growth for California olives
is in the beginning stages with a prosperous future
ahead of it.
Corti
Brothers retail grocery store in Sacramento carries
the Penna olive products. Darrell Corti said that,
"the Penna Olives are quite a find, we do business
with him in bulk as well as the bottled product.
There is a great deal of acceptance for the California
product." Mr. Corti also predicts that, "More
people would eat different types of olives if California
offered a wider variety. Most people in the olive
bottling business are just using olives coming from
Greece, Spain and Italy." Corti has had much
success with Penna olive products." In 1998
we started selling the late harvest olive blend
in bulk packs with the product being very well accepted
by our customers. Now they have expanded to the
point where they have 22 products."
Maurice
Penna keeps the quality high and consistent by paying
a premium to his pickers and using meticulous traditional
European curing methods. Penna olives naturally
ferment more slowly than commercial canneries and
the process can take years depending on the flavor
desired. For the Penna and Loam Ridge brands this
process brings out different nuances for each product
and look attractive in glass containers. For specialty
designed cheese, garlic or pimento stuffed olives,
the fruit must be picked carefully and sorted to
ensure only the perfect unblemished olives make
it into the glass jars for customers. The remaining
are used to make the most delicious tapenades.
Maurice
and Cindy Penna have grown the business and now
process 800 to 900 tons of olives per year, some
of which they buy from other growers. Maurice will
ship small orders in jars or larger orders in bulk
and can deliver to any area where traditional foot
preparations are valued. He finds a delight in bringing
the traditions of ethnic olives to the market with
the gift shop quality that is so hard to find. To
order a little or a lot, call M&CP Farms in
Orland, California 530 865-9810.
Penna
Olives Web Site
Penna
Olive Salad
Penna
Olives AD