CAROLYN ADAIR agreed . He and his father , Gigi , showed her how to clear the brush and dead wood from the trees . In 2000 , her first crop of olives grew , and her brand , Amici , aptly named with the Italian word for “ friends ,” was born .
Sharing the Flavor
Every year , Adair and her husband , Tom , split their time between College Station and Italy . They usually visit in the spring to prune the trees and again in October for the harvest and oil-making , Adair says . After the olives are picked , they are taken to a local processing facility , where they are pressed into oil — pits and all , Adair explains .
When she ’ s not participating in the olive-growing or oil-making process , Adair spends her months in Italy savoring the country ’ s beauty and interacting with their Italian friends and residents of Saltino , where she and her husband bought another house . “ I know everybody in town ,” she says . “ I walk down the road , and everyone says , ‘ Carolina , come here !’ And then we get a coffee .” Many Italian olive growers gladly helped her learn more about the art of making olive oil , she says .
Adair says she enjoys sharing this oil knowledge with others back in the States . Many are amazed at the flavor , she says . “ I tell them , ‘ That ’ s what an olive oil is supposed to taste like .’” Some olive oils are mixed with corn or other oils , but Amici is made of pure , organic olives , she explains . It is also extra-virgin , meaning
it is the olives ’ first press and has a lower acidity . “ My oliveto is surrounded by little family farms , and they ’ re all making it for their own table ,” she says . “ I figured that ’ s about as good as it ’ s ever going to get .” Such high-quality oil shouldn ’ t be wasted on cooking , Adair says . Its flavor can better be enjoyed by tossing it with pasta or using it to garnish salads and vegetables , she advises . “ It ’ s good for your skin , your hair , your heart — everything ,” she says .
Her 17-fluid-ounce bottles are currently available in four Bryan locations : The Farm Patch Produce Market , Old Bryan Marketplace , Village Foods , and Readfield Meats & Deli . She also ships cases of the bottles or 170-fluid-ounce cans to customers throughout the state . “ Lots of people say , ‘ We can ’ t be without this ,’” she says .
The Next Chapter
Adair ends her tale and rises from her couch to find photographs of Italy and her oliveto . She returns with her iPad and begins to flip through hundreds of images . Her face lights up as she surveys the picturesque villages , verdant hills , and shining clusters of olives . The Adairs could not visit Italy last year due to pandemic shutdowns , but they plan to return soon , she says . “ There ’ s so much to love over there ,” she adds . “ It is so beautiful . I can ’ t wait to get over there .” And when she does , she ’ ll have plenty more memories to add to the Amici story . IN
CAROLYN ADAIR ELLEN RITSCHER SACKETT insitebrazosvalley . com 13