Looking for proof of a loving God? Olive Oil.
I love olive oil. In fact- I think that the very fact that it exists and is available to us is proof of a loving God. Think about it. What can’t you do with olive oil? (ok- there may be some things you cannot do…)
This is blog-worthy for a variety of reasons right now. It’s hecka cold here. Yeah, I know Laura- you win the hecka cold competition! (Go on girl- wave your Hecka Crazy Cold flag). But right now- with skin and hair getting dry and chapped, lips cracking from the cold weather- olive oil comes to the rescue in so many ways. I use olive oil to moisturize my skin, get the rough tips of my fingers to soften a bit, de-tangle hair, and moisten lips. Olive oil soap is amazing for winter skin. Olive oil on baby cradle cap is a sure fix- just slather that kid’s head with it. Olive oil shampoo can be found in middle eastern grocery stores. It’s incredible.
I read a few years back that women in southern Italy use 2 products for their beauty regimen: Cornmeal and Olive Oil. Cornmeal with water to exfoliate, and then olive oil to moisturize. How ingenious is that?!
This spring I am planting some olive trees in my yard. There is a particular variety that is cold hardy to -20′, and that bears fruit that can be harvested and eaten (after a crazy amount of brining,of course). Maybe I will make my own olive oil with a giant stone grinder. Maybe I will wear giant floor length skirts and floppy hats and tie a basket to my waist…
If you have ever tasted really good olive oil- you know that the stuff we get in the store is pretty shabby. Really good olive oil has a taste all its own with no bitter edge at all. It’s a big taste that can stand alone with a piece of bread. Yum. I read yesterday that there are so many degrees of virginity in Italian culture, that it becomes difficult to tell what degree you are talking about at some point. This book was not talking about olive oil…but using it as a metaphor for young Italian women. I had to chuckle when they talked about Extra-Virgin, extra virgin (first pressing), extra-virgin (second pressing), Virgin, pure, etc. I don’t know about Italian women- but this was a pretty funny analogy, anyway.
I think we should all consider incorporating olive oil into our lives in a more profound way. It is truly a wonder of nature. For more info, check out: www.amazingoliveoil.com
Woohoo! I win the hecka crazy cold flag award! I give my thanks to Mr. Jack Frost.
Anyway… I think that baking soda may not be Godly, but it has a ton of uses too. One thing that I don’t like about olive oil is that it doesn’t stand up to high heat. I am an impatient cook and like to cook things fast and on high heat. I heard that olive oil is good to take off make-up. I need to use some on my eyelids one of these days. There is something out here that makes my eyelids get all dry and chapped, and no, it’s not the cold weather that does it. It happens in the summer too.
It’s called ecxema and it runs in the family, Laura.
Olive oil is the primary ingredient in my home made soaps. I love it too. The kids really love to dip bread in olive oil and good balsamic vinegar. They could eat that all day. Good stuff!
Olive oil is a wonder. One cookbook I read said you should always buy the very best olive oil you can afford. Buying olive oil is still somewhat of a crap shoot and I can’t say that I can tell that much difference between what I have ended up with. Maybe there is a special store to buy olive oil . . . like not downtown Sheridan or Willamina.
Probably Italy would be the best place to buy olive oil… do you think that you would mind picking me up some while you are there? Oh, wait… maybe we could go together!