That's right - it is now the peak of the Meyer lemon season, and this beloved olive oil from our favorite Caifornia producer has just arrived in our store !

What a glorious time of year this is.

And, what a difference from last year when Meyer lemons were in very short supply (and extremely expensive) because of the series of frosts in Northern California.

I remember vividly my conversation with our friend Albert Katz at the San Francisco Fancy Food Show in January 2007, the day after I was a panelist on an Educational Program. He related to me his profound sadness walking through his Meyer lemon grove every day during the frosts and seeing all his lemons frozen solid on the trees. What an unbelieveable situation - the weather changed so quickly that there was no time to harvest the perfectly-ripe fruit, and the killer frosts continued for THREE days in a row. And it meant virtually no Katz & Co. Meyer Lemon Olive Oil was produced from the 2006/07 harvest for sale in 2007.

So it has been a long year anticipating the arrival of this year's production, and we are excited to have it again !

This oil is made by 'pressing' the olives and cut Meyer lemons together in the frantoia - just the way they do it in Sicily! After pressing, the oil is put to 'rest' for a month or so in the traditional manner (to meld its flavours and establish its sense of place for itself).

Finally, the oil is bottled, labeled and shipped to us, ready for its bright, lively and bold flavour to perform 'kitchen magic' with grilled or broiled fish, rice or vegetable dishes, and green salads.

Come on in, or order it on-line.

Cooks Shop Here
65 King Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413.584.5116
For more information about Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, click here
 

We are so thrilled to have not just one, but three Dan Congs at the moment. For those of you who are not familiar with this magnificent tea, Fenghuang Dan Cong is a very special oolong from Guangdong Province in southeast China.

Translated into English as the 'Phoenix Mountain' Oolongs (FengHuang), these oolongs are from tea bushes that are particularly unique. Pruned into what is referred to as a 'single-trunk' structure, Fenghuang Dan Cong tea bushes resemble an old apple tree more than they do a traditionally-plucked tea bush. Tea pickers climb up into the bush (as olive or heirloom apple pickers often do) with the aid of ladders that taper to the top.

Generally very old and highly revered, Fenghuang Dan Cong tea bushes are extremely valuable, also in the manner of ancient olive trees and heirloom apple trees.

We have offered wonderful Fenghuang teas over the years, but usually are only able to procure one or possibly two at a time. We have been enthralled with this oolong ever since we visited Phoenix Mountain in 2006. The tea gardens and the stately old tea trees were beautiful and serene in the misty, cloud-enshrouded morning light - we recount a bit of the story of our visit starting on page 154 of our book: The Story of Tea.

The manufacture style used for Fenghuang Dan Cong is that of a more-highly oxidized oolong. This is partly due to the large size of the mature leaf, and partly due to the historic preference for this style of oolong on Phoenix Mountain.

Layered with flavour, Fenghuang Dan Cong is one of the single-malt scotches of the tea world. Over the several steepings that are possible, the flavour will change with subtle nuance and the aromatics will stun the palate. It is rumored to be difficult to brew, but NOT SO, this is an easy to love tea that deserves your attention.
click here for more information on Fenghuang Dan Cong tea