VIL feb 09 GRID.indd - Tubac Villager

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Tubac
Olive Oil Co.
by Ellen Sussman
Right at the entrance to Tubac Village
tempting tastes of balsamic and fl avorful
olive oils await shoppers who enjoy
sampling new tastes. One of Tubac’s newest
shops, it’s owned by Sunil Patel and his
wife Rocio, who also own Chios, the
adjoining Fresh Produce clothing shop.
As Rocio tells, they have a friend who
owns an olive oil sampling shop in
Michigan. Th ey tried to coerce him to
move to Tubac and run the business
locally, but he declined. Instead he taught the Patels
how to run such a tasting shop—and here it is!
Th ere are fl avored olive oils and olive oils from around
the world—as close as from California and as distant as
from Spain, Italy, Greece and Australia. “Th e textures
and fl avors vary; we have
30 diff erent kinds of
fl avored and unfl avored
oils to sample and buy,”
Rocio said. Sampling is
easy. Counters are lined
with fustis, large stainless
steel drums with spigots
designed specifi cally for
storing olive oil. Using
a small plastic sampling
cup, shoppers sample the
olive and balsamic oils
that sound appealing to
them.
“Since opening, people
love the sampling
experience. Th ey return and bring their friends in to try
the diff erent oils. People can taste the balsamics direct,
but to sample an olive oil we give small squares of bread
to dip into the sample cup,” Rocio explained.
Th e variety of fl avored olive oils is oh-so tempting!
Th ere’s chipotle, basil, lemon, roasted walnut, Persian
lime—and garlic olive oil that she said is great for
cooking.
For the balsamics, there’s 18-year Traditional Balsamic
Sunil & Rocio Patel invite you to sample the many
varieties of olive oil and vinegar at their store
located in the La Entrada, at the entrance of Tubac.
30 Mountain View Lane
that’s aged just like wine. For those who enjoy a
fruity taste, there’s black currant, fi g, peach, pineapple,
pomegranate, strawberry and tangerine to tempt the
palate.
“Th e Organic Extra Virgin olive oil is very popular,
especially with vegetarians. When customers return to
buy more, they bring
recipes using our oils; I’m
going to put the recipes
on our website so anyone
can try what others are
raving about,” Rocio said.
Oils are bottled on site;
they’re fi lled, corked,
encapsulated (sealed)
and labeled and both
olive oils and balsamics
will last two years if not
exposed to sunlight.
More than tasty olive
oils and balsamics, the
Patels feature jars of pasta
sauces, salsas, olives and
tapenades—plus olive oil soap that’s excellent for dry
skin.
“It’s a simple concept; we’re trying to complement
everything around olive oil,” Rocio said. “Come taste
and enjoy.”
Tubac Olive Oil Co.
2 Plaza Road – at the entrance to Tubac Village
520-398-3366 Open 10 to 5 every day
719-495-2380 719-332-1242
4.11 acre lot on a very desirable ridge in the Aliso Springs custom home subdivision
Community utilities available
360° views of the Tumacacori and Santa Rita Ranges
Best Price in Aliso Springs $190,000
Information and photos at website http://www.home.earthlink.net/~tubacproperty