cooking

Olive oil from Palestine

/ Tracy Abell / 7 Comments

Today I’m grateful for the delivery of these bottles of olive oil that strengthen my connection to Palestine and our shared humanity. They arrived from the farming collective known as Olive Odyssey.

Per Olive Odyssey’s About page:

Our journey began amidst the rolling olive groves of Palestine, where we aim to connect  farmers from diverse corners of the land to come together with a shared purpose. Our mission is simple yet profound: to tell the story of the Palestinian people through the medium of olive oil. With each drop, we paint a portrait of connection to the land and a commitment to sustainable practices.

Their commitment to sustainable practices especially resonates in this very moment as wildfires rage and air quality is literally hazardous in so many parts of North America, not to mention the endless bombing and destruction in the Middle East.  Knowing that Palestinian farmers continue to work their land and tend to their olive trees is balm for my soul.

Our roots are entwined with Palestine’s soil, and every member of our collective carries this deep connection. Born and raised in this land, we consider ourselves a family – a family that extends beyond borders to encompass every farmer, every enthusiast, and every plate our olive oil graces. Together, we form a circle of support, nurturing not only olive trees but also the futures of Palestinian families.

I’m grateful Zippy continues to purchase from Olive Odyssey, making us part of that circle of support for the olive trees and Palestinian families.

Free Palestine!

Olive Odyssey: olive oil from Palestine

/ Tracy Abell / 3 Comments

Zippy is the chef of our household (while I fill the role of “grateful eater of all he prepares”), and when he decided his cooking was in need of some olive oil from Palestine, he placed an order with Olive Odyssey. Our olive oil arrived today!

But we didn’t only receive the bottle of olive oil. The package also contained an organic fabric bag and a post card with the above picture on the front and this message on the back:

It feels so good to hold that bottle in our hands and feel the connection with Palestinian farmers who lovingly care for their olive trees, land, and traditions. Shared humanity for the win!

eta: I just realized the bottle has other info, including that this olive oil is from farmer  Abed Al-salam Bargouti and that it was sourced from “Rumi olive trees nestled in the hills of Aboud village at the heart of Palestine’s Ramallah region.”

My reign as Domestic Goddess

/ Tracy Abell / 3 Comments

I am incredibly grateful for the domestic gifts Zippy bestows upon me. Namely, handling all the cooking and grocery shopping. Yes, you read that correctly. I don’t have to cook or shop. Except when it’s absolutely necessary, such as when Zippy has Covid. (Note: he is feeling better although still testing positive).

He first tested positive a week ago tomorrow and hasn’t had much of an appetite. Lucky for both of us. Him, because that meant he wasn’t subjected to my lack of cooking skills and me, because I wasn’t forced to exhibit my low-level kitchen intelligence. Zippy tolerated my quinoa and steamed broccoli (that I daringly “spiced up” with some snap peas and cut green beans) and the minimalist spinach “salads” garnished with halved cherry tomatoes and a splash of balsamic dressing. I skated by until last night.

It all started because I’d noticed a head of kale in the drawer.

Image by azboomer from Pixabay

I worried it was getting a bit droopy and asked what I could make with the kale before it went bad. Zippy replied, “Lots of things” in a tone that implied those many “things” were most definitely beyond my reach. “Like what?” I pressed. “Like “kale and potatoes,” he replied. “I can do that!” I proclaimed.

And Reader, I’m pleased to announce I did do just that. I successfully prepared a meal.  All it required was for Zippy to stay on speakerphone through the entire preparation. Halfway through the conversation when I apologized for being so inept that he had to talk me through the process as if I was defusing a bomb, he admitted our cooking conversation was the most exciting part of his day. Sad commentary on a week spent isolating in the basement. But for me, the excitement I derived from the experience was the fact that (with Zippy’s guidance) I didn’t botch the timing on everything as I have in the past when attempting to create something in the kitchen. I successfully timed:

  • the cooking of the kale
  • the browning of the onions, kale stems, and sprig of rosemary
  • the boiling of the potatoes
  • the adding-in of the kale
  • the final combining and cooking of all ingredients

Okay, that last step took too long and the kale still came out a bit undercooked/chewy. Other than that, I killed it!

But wait, there’s more! Today I went grocery shopping, at two different stores. Not only that, I’ve already returned home and put away the groceries . . . and it’s still daylight! So what if Zippy could have accomplished the same amount of shopping in a fraction of the time it took me? So what if I had to call him from the first store to help me locate the sliced sourdough bread? At the next store, I figured out all on my own where the salad dressing was shelved and confirmed there were no avocados. And is ketchup really necessary?

So, yeah. This past week has been a stark reminder of my very privileged life in which groceries and meals magically occur. For many, many reasons, Zippy and I are both looking forward to a full recovery and him resuming his reign.