The other day, I was sitting with some guests at our restaurant, and they asked me a question that I’ve heard a few times before. They said, “Your food here is amazing, and we truly enjoy it. How do you manage to create such delicious dishes? Your olive oil and olives are fantastic—where do you get them?”
I smiled and explained, “We source our olives from Italy and Spain.” Their faces lit up, and they said, “Ah, Italy and Spain, known for their high-quality olives!”
Then I added, “But our olive oil comes from Palestine.” They seemed surprised, so I explained further, “You see, every country has its own strengths and specialties. However, when it comes to world-class olives and olive oil, Palestine is unparalleled. In fact, the olive trees that are now widespread in countries like Spain and Italy were originally brought from Palestine. The real heart of authentic olives and olive oil lies in Palestine.”
They were amazed by this information, shocked even, as they hadn’t heard this before.
It’s moments like these that remind me of how important it is to understand and appreciate the origins of the ingredients we use in our cooking. Knowing the history and stories behind our food not only enriches our meals but also deepens our connection to the world.
