Olives. Les Olives

During olive picking I learned different infos which I would like to share

usually one keep just the best and frawless olives for pickle and marinated olives

black olives are set one month in salty solution ( water and as much salt as needed for a row egg to float) one can also put some lemon, herbs and chilis. once process finished the olives will be sun dried for about 3 to 5 days and than marinated into some good oil where onc can also add spices and herbs to give different flavours.

For green olives the only step which is different is that they are not sun dried before marination.

for olive oil

100 kg of olives usually gives about 25/35l oil in Jordan from non irrigated trees

100 kg of olives gave us 14l that seems to be normal due to poor soil and irrigation too.

Lors de la recolte des olives j'ai appris quelques trucs que j"aime a vous faire partager

On garde generalement seulement les plus belles olives sans defaut pour la saumure et la marinade. Les olives noire sont mise dans une solution salee ( eau et autant de sel requis pour qu'un oeuf cru flotte) on peu aussi y ajouter du citron, des herbes et des piments. une fois cette operation finie les olives seront sechees de 3 a 5 jours au soleil puis mise en marinade dans une bonne huile. On peut aussi y ajouter des epices ou des herbes pour une differente saveur.

Pour les olives vertes le seul point qui differe est le fait qu'elles ne sont pas mises a secher au soleil.

100kg d'olives donnent en generale 25/35 l d'huile en Jordanie pour des arbres non irrigues

100kg d'olives nous ont donne 14l qui semblent normal au vu du sol tres pauvre qui plus est irrigue

Olive Picking Day. Journee de la Cueillette des Olives

Wednesday 15 of October 2008

Mercredi 15 Octobre 2008

We all garthered for picking the Olives that we had on the property. We started at 9.00 AM in good mood. The guys were singing one arabic olive picking song to give more anthousiasm to the croud. There were 40 trees to harvest and it took us 5 hours as we were surprised by the quantity ( actually we did a guess for the winner to get one liter of oil). at 10. oo Suleiman started to prepare with other guys the "Zerb" that we had by 14.30 as a reward of our labor.

Nous nous sommes rassemble pour la cueillette des olives de notre propriete. Nous avons commence a 9 heures de bonne humeur et pour ajouter a l'ambiance certains chantaient aussi un chant arabe dedie a cette cueillette. Il y avait 40 arbres a soulager et cela nous apris 5 heures car nous avons ete surpris par la quantite ( nous avons meme fait un pari dont le vainqueur gagna 1 litre de notre huile). a 10 heures Suleiman a commence de preparer le Zerb que nous avons pris en recompense de notre labeur a 14 heures.

This meal is lamb cook in a pit ( in the ground and covered) with some spiced rice. It was served also with some local cheese "kuneffeh" as dessert.

Ce repas est du mouton cuit a l'etouffe dans un puit enterre avec du riz epice. Un Kuneffeh au fromage l'accompagnait en guize de dessert.

in the afternoon we sorted out the different olives ( green, small back, big black) and took some of the leaves. We kept 20kg of each kind of the black olives for pickle and in the evening we went to the oil mill in Madaba to press the 200kg left. (in Madaba there are 3 big olive mills where all farmers bring their olives)

Dans l'apres midi nous avons effeuille les olives et selectionne celles ci ( vertes, petites noires, grosses noires) nous avons garde 20 kg de chacunes de deux dernieres varietes afin de les mettre en salaison. Des 200kg restant nous sommes alle les presser a l'huilerie de Madaba dans la soiree. (A Madaba il y a 3 grandes huileries ou tous les cultivateurs ammene ces olives)

At the mill The leaves were first dropped throw a grid than olives were washed. then passed throw the mill to grind all of it. then sent to a blender to have a paste where actually temperature reach 50 degrees. The paste is then separated in oil mass and the left over ( mostly the crashed shells) are used as coal (may be used for smoking or barbecue) than the juice is clarified 2 times in order to get clear oil.

A l'huilerie les olives sont nettoyees et effeuillees puis passees dans un broyeur, puis passees dans un malaxeur ou la temperature atteint 50 degres. La pate obtenue est ensuite separee entre masse liquide grasse et masse seche (sorte de tourteau qui peut servir au fumage ou au barbecue) et le jus est ensuite clarifie deux fois afin d'obtenir une huile claire

After all these operations just 28 liters were left of 200kg fruits. This is an Organic product

De ces operations juste 28 Litres d'huile ressultaient de 200kg de fruits. C'est un produit biologique

Details from the miller: Green olives give strenght and acidity while black give sweetness and fruity taste, the balance of both makes the quality of the blend. Small fruits give often more tasty oil.

detail du meunier: Les olives vertes donne la force et l'acidite alors que les olives noires donnent la douceur et le fruite, de la balance de deux resulte la qualite du melange. de petits fruits donnent souvent une huile plus goutue.

in the next days we will prepare the 40kg olives pickled.

dans les prochains jours nous preparerons les olives marinees.

Notre viree a Petra

Le week end dernier avec quelques collegues nous sommes alles a la decouverte du site de Petra.

Il faut dire que l'endroit est deja eloigne de Ma'In par 3 heures de routes et que la guimbarde dans laquelle nous etions embarques a 5 n'arrangeait pas franchement le confort du voyage puisqu'a notre arrivee nous avions deja le dos casse.

Nous avons entame la visite sur le chapeaux de roues dans l'enthousiasme d'un decors grandiose vraiment tres impressionne par le travail de dame Nature. apres un bon kilometre de corridor rocheux nous sommes tombes en arret devant le "Tresor" de Petra qui est sur toutes les cartes postales.

Puis nous avons poursuivi la visite harcelles regulierement par les bedouins qui nous proposaient qui un tour a dos d'ane, de cheval, ou de dromadaire. Malgre une entree a 21 Dinards Jordaniens ( equivalent a 21 euros) quelques pauvres pancartes en tres mauvais etat peu de choses sont faites pour la preservation du site dont meme les pierres sont vendues par les bedouins. en terme de preservation d'un patrimoine mondial le gourvernement pourrait faire mieux.

la suite fut nettement plus laborieuse malgre l'interet du site ce fut 6 heures de crapahute avec un terrain accidente et plein de reliefs. l'arrivee au Monastere fut vraiment un soulagement et le retour fut beaucoup plus rapide vu que c'etait en descente.

Une fois sorti du lieux nous nous ruames sur le premier restaurant afin vraiment d'etancher notre soif et notre fin car nous etions de plus sur les genoux.

Merci a Marwan qui malgre la fatigue et sa gimbarde deglinguee nous ramena a bon port vers 10 heures du soir.

La visite vaut vraiment le coup mais a conseiller sur au moins deux jours afin de ne pas arriver fourbu et de ne pas avoir le plaisir gache par la fatigue.

Our Tour to Petra

last week end with some collegues we went for a tour to Petra

It is a bit far from Ma'In so a good car would have been preferable for the trip as when we arrived we already had our back broken.

We started the visit with enthousiasm and also admirative of the work that mother nature had done. then we arrived at the Landmark which is the Treasury. really amazing!!!!!

then we went on for the visit that was actually going to take us 6 hours. along the visit we where hassled by many bedouins that wanted most of the time to offer horse, camel or domkey rides

one thing that suprised me was also that some stones of the site were for sale damaging a bit more the site for future generations. while the entrance fee was 21 JD (equivalent to 21 euros) there was no management of the site by the autorities just very few signs in poor conditions. the worst part of it was when I had to climb to the Monastry that I thought that I would faint. No warning to the tourists that it would take so much time and energy. This is actually not to be recommended to some people with heart problems. I arrived up there totally exausted. the way back was rather quicker but when we reach the gates we just run to the first restaurant as we were really on the knees. We came back with the same tired car and thanks so much to Marwan that was our driver and was as tired as us but had the strenght to drive us back. So such a journey should be planed for at least two days in order to enjoy it and be in perfect condition to appreciate it.

New Challenge!

After some long months of rather ectic experiences I have finally joined the Six Senses Company.

As the company wants to provide the best and most priviledge experience to guests it does also its best to commit to social responsabilites and environmental friendly business.

Additionnal to be in charge of the pastry I will also look after the plantations and grows that will be involved in the cooking for the kitchen.

The property has two kind of supplies of water from natural string one of which is 65* and has sulfur properties and is used in the spa for differents perpouses the other one is an underground cold water well.

The property is located in a dramatic landscape between rocks, left from the drying of the Dead Sea that has the aspect of an oasis in the desert.

Even though it is a remote location with the opportunity to have a real break from the world it has also all facilities to make either guest or staff connected to the world.

I will keep you informed of the developpement of that experience that looks exciting.