By Chase Kamp
San Tan Valley Today Publications
On the northeast corner of Combs and Rittenhouse Roads in Queen Creek, several rows of olive trees, heavy with fruit, obscure a warehouse building in the distance. Inside the friendly compound is the Queen Creek Olive Mill, where sustainable farming and local flavor unite
Rob Holmes, General Manager and Vice-President of Marketing at the Queen Creek Olive Mill, describes the establishment as a complete food experience. “We’re in the agri-tourism business,” he said. Every aspect of the olive oil process can be experienced at the Olive Mill, from tours of the groves and factory to a gourmet store selling every variety of the mill’s wares.
The Olive Mill operates a sustainable farm with around 2100 olive trees. Holmes espouses the Olive Mill’s environmentally friendly growing practices, which are aided by Arizona’s ideal olive-growing climate. “Out here, there are no natural pests or predators messing with the trees,” he said, “so there’s no need to use herbicides or chemicals.”
The gourmet store offers a slew of local products like handmade pasta, wine, bread and tapenades. “People can stock up, go home and make dinner,” Holmes said. The Olive Mill takes great pride in its wine selection, which Holmes noted was very different from that of typical wine retailers. “[Mill owner] Perry [Rea] selects direct import wines from small family vineyards in Italy and Spain,” he said. Rea recently partnered with Tuscan winemaker Antonio Sanguineti on a signature Chianti available in the gourmet store.
The Olive Mill has been featured on two national television shows. The olive oil farming and extraction process was profiled on the Discovery Channel show “Dirty Jobs,” where host Mike Rowe spent a day harvesting olives and helping make oil.
The Kalamata sandwich, available in the Olive Mill’s Mediterranean café, was selected by a Scottsdale chef to be profiled on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” a program on the Food Network where famous chefs pick their favorite dishes. The episode aired on August 2, 2010.
The Kalamata is a family recipe developed by Rea and it includes kalamata salami made especially for the mill by the Pork Shop in San Tan Valley, Holmes said. This commitment to local flavor appears all over the café’s menu, as the daily specials utilize local and seasonal products as they become available. “Whatever is happening locally or seasonally, we want to incorporate it into our menu,” he said.
The Olive Mill’s Tuscan-style extra-virgin olive oil comes in many flavors and according to Holmes is optimal for cooking and baking. “A lot of chefs are using our stuff,” he said, “There’s probably 200 restaurants and bakeries using our products.” Holmes points to the versatility of the oil, which can be used for deserts as well as savory dishes. “We’ve got chefs who drizzle our chocolate olive oil onto cheesecakes,” he said.
The Queen Creek Olive Mill will be open until 9 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday starting Sept. 30, 2010. News, menus and a calendar of events are available on their website, www.queencreekolivemill.com.