Ciao from Calabria!
Quiet(-ish) September in Calabria
We made it to Calabria! After one canceled flight and a 25-hour journey, we're back in Le Castella happily quarantining in our little home. We have to quarantine for 14 days OR wait a few days then take a Covid-19 test. Honestly, the rules keep changing, we're just going to quarantine until we get a definitive update. There are worse places to be than a tiny seaside Italian village.
We live next to Giuseppe's parents, and they've been anticipating our arrival for weeks. Giuseppe's mom, Lina (yes, like the oil), has been hoarding mussels and other seafood in her second freezer since June because 'that's when they're the biggest'. A steady flow of snacks and meals magically appear in our shared hallway, on the front porch, or hanging on the fence with Giuseppe's dad or aunt being tasked with carrying them over. It's still hot here so we spend most of the day with the windows open, allowing us to hear Lina yell when lunch is ready and if food will be sent over.
We talk to Giuseppe's parents from our front porches. Although, the conversations can't get too intimate because the whole neighborhood is listening (Calabrians love gossip). For private conversations we convene in our shared indoor hallway/stairwell, always wearing masks. Giuseppe's parents sit up at the top while we sit on the bottom.
Noisy scooters stop in front of our gate with the rider honking the horn, a sign for us to come out so they can welcome us back. Our first day there was a line of cars and scooters as cousins and friends greeted us. Giuseppe spends almost 1/3 of the day sitting on the front step talking to his dad, best friend, or other guest.
Our alarm clock changes daily. There's the fisherman stopping at Lina's house before heading to the pescheria, the fruttivendolo yelling into a megaphone to announce their arrival, the clink of our gate as Giuseppe's dad sneaks over to grab some pepperoncini or drop off food, or the neighbor quite literally screaming into their phone with all the windows open (who is he talking to that early? We shall never know). These are the familiar sounds of morning in Le Castella.
Some words from Lina
I asked Lina if there's anything she wants to share with our readers and customers. She said 'I will tell them about myself'. So here's a little bit about her (translated into English):
'I love collecting seafood, snails, and looking at the clear water of my homeland. I like to serve nature in all of her natural beauty, like the flowers. I can dream without seeing. I'm a big dreamer even today, and still have big dreams. I was a lucky little girl, because I was raised in a good family. With a father who worked hard in agriculture and a mother who stayed home. And when my father took me in campagna (countryside) I felt like the luckiest little girl in the world. Many of my thoughts come when I'm alone. I think about my family, my son, and in this period more my daughter in law. Especially when I'm alone or sad.'
When asked her favorite dish she said 'all of them are my favorite! I love to cook. I love to make Pasta con le Vongole and Bucatini con Frutti di Mare. I love to keep learning.'
She continues 'I don't accept people that get mad for free [for no reason]. At school, they called me genuine and honest.'
Giuseppe and his mom chat on the front porches. He tells her about lunch. She made us Seppie (cuttlefish) con Pomodoro and Piselli. Giuseppe made 'pasta risottata' then added the seppie and she said 'I know, I smelled it from here'.
Lastly, we told Lina her oil sold out first and her grin stretched from ear to ear (she's always been incredibly lucky so it was no surprise). Then she was silent, which is about the best compliment you can get from her because she always has lots to say. She's very happy.
The Questioning + Harvest
As we plan for fall harvest, the doubt occasionally creeps in. Is what we're doing crazy? How did we even get here? Do we really have the audacity to skip all traditional supply chain methods? The answer is always yes. More like YAS.
Heading into harvest presents so many unknowns. It's like taking a step off an edge and not knowing how far you'll fall. EXAU is ruled by the trees, and they only answer to one, Mother Nature. We've learned to give up all semblance of control. To be honest, it's scary, but also incredibly thrilling. The feeling of harvest and connection to the trees is so deep and strong that it rocks you to your core. It dwells within so far beneath the surface that it almost feels tethered to your soul. This is what moves us through harvest.
Today we received incredible news. The press is opening. Harvest see you soon!
2019 Harvest Restock
We are completely sold out of 2019 harvest! THANK YOU! We realized holiday wouldn't be holiday without some EXAU so we're going to be restocking a limited amount of oils and selling them in gift sets (TBD on bottles). Pre-orders will be available the beginning of October. Stay tuned for exact shipping dates!
2020 Harvest Pre-Orders
2020 Harvest oils will be arriving in early 2021 (January/February). We're working to get product here as soon as we can. Pre-orders will be available for these oils as well at the beginning of October. We are excited to share the oils we will be producing and a new product (hint: it's Calabrian size).
Jarred Tuna, Olives, & Pasta
We would LOVE to import some other products. So far you all have requested (in order): 1. jarred tuna 2. olives 3. Calabrian chilies 4. pasta 5. tomatoes. Calabria is known for their foods sott'olio so we'll probably start there. We're going to be doing some digging while in Calabria and will keep you up to date!
Shipping to Canada and Europe
As of now, we cannot ship to Canada and Europe (sorry!). If we do expand shipping it will most likely be to Canada first (2021?!). If you're located in Europe please e-mail us and let us know where.
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more!
A presto,
-Skyler & Giuseppe
www.EXAUoliveoil.com