THE CONCEPT OF GRADING... is on a lot of minds when the fall arrives, for that's the time when schools are fully back in session and quizzes, tests, and exams are making their way onto students' desks. But grading is something that's done beyond the classroom, too, for a variety of reasons. Look to Graber Olive House, the historic Ontario fruit-filled facility that has a flavorful goal in mind: "grading, curing, and canning" tasty, pit-tastic gems grown in droves in groves located in the San Joaquin Valley. As any olive aficionado knows, you can't A) simply pick an olive off a tree and expect it to taste like the olives you had in that tapenade last night (there are more steps to take) and B) it is nearly impossible to only eat one olive in one go. Thus making for a place that boasts oodles of plump and shiny olives is one way to sate both the appetite and your curiosity about the canning process. It's a process that Graber Olives has been deeply involved with in three centuries, since its late-1800s start. And...
THE GRADING PERIOD... is underway, should you want to swing by and have a look-see for yourself. Tours are part of life at the tree-pretty Ontario spread, a location that feels as though it hasn't changed much, in spirit or appearance, since its founding several decades back. Call the company and sign up for a walk-around, and prepare to learn a lot, whether the canning/grading is in full swing or not. A bonus? The sweet shop on the property, the one with all sorts of olives for sale, as well as kitchen implements and doodads and a host of snackable gourmet foodstuffs.
