Saturday, April 2, 2011

Heat Wave = Queen Creek Olive Mill


Most people (who don't live in Arizona) don't like the 100 plus degree weather,

I am not one of them.

When it reaches triple digits, I start to relax. It seems that my body tenses up when the temperate dips below 70. It's only until the air starts to sizzle that I relax.


I wait all year for the blistering heat,

the burn on the back of my legs when I get in my car from the seats,

the fact then when I walk outside, little rivets of sweat prickle on my neck

the semi catatonic state I can get when I feel that sun reach my face



Unfortunately, I also get really really really lazy...hence my need to escape to a fun place




Queen Creek Olive Mill always fits the bill!

And usually I can convince my sisters to join in the fun.


Queen Creek Olive Mill is Arizona's only olive mill. Not only that but it's also organic and working to become totally self sustaining. As you walk in from the dirt parking lot into the courtyard patio, you walk past the vegetable garden that's completely organic and pesticide free which is the corner stone of the Mill's philosophy. If you go to their website you can read all about it but what I love is the simplicity of their mission, which states in part

"Our farming practices and the products we offer exemplify our dedication to the environment and the health of our customers"


There's only one olive mill in all of Arizona. Why do you think that its pretty easy for them to not use pesticides for any reason?

You can guess but I bet you might not get it.... (if you do, I'm impressed)

Well, Olive trees have only natural enemy and that's this insect that cannot live in temperatures above 100 degrees. Guess when that bugs life cycle is?

That's right! The dead of summer, which in Arizona reaches 100 at 5am in the morning.

If it's your first visit to the mill, do the tour. That's how come I sound so smart.


They don't have just plain extra virgin olive oil, they have lime and strawberry and vanilla bean and blood orange and chili and chocolate and garlic... just to name a few.


Oh, you might want to try some of their stuffed olives as well. May I recommend the stuffed blue cheese olives? Maybe in a nice dirty martini?


I'm volunteering at a film festival this weekend but that doesn't keep me from thinking about the food at the Mill. The last time we all were there was when a friend from out of town was visiting.

The first thing we did is get some lunch in the courtyard. Even though its was warm, I wanted a panini. I mean really, who wouldn't want a grass fed beef sandwich with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and horseradish all on a pressed grilled baguette?? I also got some pesto pasta.

Fresh pesto on twisty cold pasta? Yes, please!!


I'm going to go ahead and say that it was all gone pretty quickly!

We all shared an olive oil chocolate cake after. Olive Oil tends to make any dessert pretty moist and this was no exception.

This cake is chocolate and dense and moist and a fork fight pretty much ensued.

Oh and they have misters so it really helps with keeping the air cool while we enjoy the beautiful scenery outside.




Just so you know, On Saturday and Sunday, they have wine tasting!

And...they just started making breakfast!

I'm excited to try the Vanilla Bean Olive Oil waffles with some berries and whip cream.


If you want to, you can always go online and get some of their products online at


1 comment:

  1. Mmmmmm . . . I LOVE that place! I'm so glad you guys introduced me to it.

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