Last Friday I joined two friends for a drive out to Queen Creek Arizona to have lunch at the Queen Creek Olive Mill. I hadn't been there for four years when I ventured the 50 miles out there to shop for olive oil. (Luckily for me, they have shops closer to me now but, if I want to enjoy the restaurant, I have to make the drive.) It was a beautiful day, perfect for a picnic under the olive trees.
We were all amazed at how busy it was and we had to chuckle at one of the workers who told us we were smart to come on a Friday when it wasn't so busy. We asked if it got busier than it was that day and she said "Oh yes, much busier". They had that Canadian flag up because they were having "Canada Week" at the mill. They even had a special Canadian menu for those who wanted to partake.
I'll confess, we did try the Canada inspired "Maple Piglet" gelato which was flavored with a combination of maple syrup and bacon. It was surprisingly delicious.
While we were eating our lunch under the olive trees, we reminisced about how we traveled out this way some 20 years ago to visit a friend who lived in Queen Creek at the time. Back then, we had to drive some long distance through the desert and farm land to get there. Now it's all solid city all the way! It's amazing how much the east valley has grown and spread out.
I have a new post on Sharon's Sojourns today. I found a great little hotel in the city of lights.
13 comments:
How places can change, I wondered yesterday too to see a whole area suddenly had raised along a highway, I had never seen before.
That was a nice outing.
I have never tasted that Canadian delicacy. Will look for it. :)
I lived in Queen Creek from 1972 to 1974. It was just a little farming community with one little gas station and that's about all. I bet I wouldn't recognize it now.
That sounds so nice Sharon.. good to get your olive oil from the source instead of the supermarket, much more enjoyable experience all round ☺
Gilbert-Queen Creek is exactly where we are hoping to move to in probably 2019!!! Good to learn about this place!
It looks like a busy place! Maple syrup and bacon in a gelato? I'd try it.
I hope they have tasting stations for the oil - it would be wonderful! I had chicken with Maple Syrup glaze yesterday and today will have it on salmon so I bet it would be great with bacon in gelato!
The maple piglet sounds good. I love maple anything and bacon. Looks like an interesting place to spend some time in.
I'm thinking it was worth drive. I'm not sure about the Maple Piglet gelato, but I'll take your word that it was delicious! Somewhere we lived, we had olive trees in the yard but I can't remember which city it was.
How fun! This looks like my kind of place.
You know, olive trees are so versatile. They grow here in London -- ornamentally, at least -- and they grow in Arizona. Pretty impressive!
It is a charming place. It reminds me of several "throwback" kinds of places I have seen around the country. A store up in Ft. Myers that sells citrus fruit, several in central California, etc. Lots of charm, worth the visit.
I can see that it changed a lot since I have been there. I still have a beautiful Italian red salad bowl.
Post a Comment