The Olive in California: History of an Immigrant Tree [Hardcover]

Judith Taylor MD (Author), Kevin Starr (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2004

A symbol of peace, strength, and nourishment, the olive tree has been imbued with a sense of history, place, and charm since its earliest cultivation in the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. From the first Spanish ships to touch California's shores to the rise of a thriving industry with hundreds of olive growers and oil makers, THE OLIVE IN CALIFORNIA traces the path of this sturdy, life-giving tree as it developed into a California agricultural phenomenon. With a foreword by Dr. Kevin Starr, State Librarian of California, Dr. Taylor's book is endorsed by the California Historical Society. 

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Just as the Mediterranean region is associated with the olive tree, so too is California's landscape enhanced by the tree's handsome profile and fruitful production. Taylor delves deeply into the history and mythology of this influential plant, tracing the cultivation of olive trees as well as their place in the agricultural life of the Golden State for more than two centuries. With great attention to detail, she recounts the olive-growing businesses that prospered, and the endeavors of the olive-oil trade up to the present day. The botulism outbreaks of the 1920s are likewise examined, as is the involvement of the University of California in the olive industry's development. A revealing account, complete with extensive supplementary appendixes. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

A "fascinating historical survey" and "particularly helpful in preparing this (California cuisine) issue."-Saveur

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580081312
• ISBN-13: 978-1580081313
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Readable history that focuses on the developers, June 28, 2008

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Olive in California: History of an Immigrant Tree (Hardcover)

This is an interesting and handsome history which focuses on the people who initiated and developed the olive oil and canned olive industry in California from pre Junipero Serra times into the 1990s. There are drawings and black and white photos, a chronology, a couple of lists (with comments) of olive oil makers and olive processors in California from 1869 to the present, a list of olive cultivars imported into California (and some synonymous names for the types), a listing of nurseries that provided the trees from 1872, and a solid bibliography.

The material was thoroughly researched by Dr. Taylor and written in a style accessible to academics, professionals, and interested consumers or hobbyists such as myself. She tells the story of how the olive came to California, how the industry developed and how California producers competed with the giants in Spain and Italy, and how the canned ripe olive became, after a scary bout with botulism in 1919, the most important product of the California olive growers, up to the near present day when boutique and upscale California olive oil has become something of a rage--although a major part of this growth has taken place since this book when to publication in 2000. Taylor captures the feel of California's mission days, the ranchero days, the gold rush days, and the great growth thereafter through an olive-colored lens. She writes about how the trees were cultivated, how the fruit was picked and processed, and how the product compared and compares to the European competition.

I got interested in olive trees after discovering some long abandoned groves in and around the Sacramento, California area. What surprised me was how abundant the fruit even though the trees were untended and overgrown, and had been that way for decades, and even though they were crowded by other types of trees, such as scrub oaks, wild figs, digger pines and others. In many places, including on and around the UC Davis campus, the shady trees heavy with fruit in the fall are like stately ornaments of California's past. But what a waste to see the dark, ripe olives just fall to the ground to become black greasy spots! Why is this? The main reason is known to anyone who has ever plucked a ripe olive off the tree and taken a bite. It tastes awful! Olives have to be processed, usually in brine with many changes of water before they become edible. And to press the oil from the olive requires equipment, knowledge and skill.

Although this book does go into many aspects of processing, it does not go into enough detail to help the beginning olive enthusiast. I'm still looking for the book that explains the processing techniques explicitly, especially for small producers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Shallow Perspective, March 14, 2011

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reflexivity - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Olive in California: History of an Immigrant Tree (Hardcover)

This book has good information. Yet I frequently found myself staring at the pages in disbelief.

The author states that in 1848 the population of California was several hundred. In fact there were thousands of Native Americans (tho many would be subsequently killed by white newcomers). This genocidal oversight admittedly caused me to cast a critical eye on the rest of the book.

Still, with all the objectivity I can muster, the writing to me seems stodgy and halting, formal and uninspired, like someone published a research report. That's how the content feels too: the dots might be mostly there but few seem connected with analysis, commentary, or sense of humor.

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and affectionate, April 6, 2002

By 

David G. Schutt (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Olive in California: History of an Immigrant Tree (Hardcover)

Those of us who have enjoyed California olives for a long time will read many previously unknown facts about this complicated and risky agricultural pursuit.

Dr. Taylor has obviously spent long hours and many miles in her research of the subject. The Bibliography alone consumes 20 pages! Furthermore, there are 10 pages of Acknowledgements.

The end result is a comprehensive chronicle of olives in California with a strong emphasis on ripe olive processes (both olive oil and pickled in cans). Her writing style reflects a love of the subject.