Wherever we went in Italy, there were delicious local olives and local pecorino on the table. The olives and the cheese were always a bit different from one place to another. Some olives were tangy, some were savory, some were sweet. Enzo’s relatives told me that the olive harvest is at the end of October, and some olives are ready as early as 40 days after the first harvest, and some need months to cure.

The olives and cheese were always served at room temperature and you can bet the cheese was not pasteurized. It was one of the most delicious things we ate. This picture was taken at a simple restaurant with a screened-in porch located on the beach near the Greek ruins of Selinunte.

Chris couldn’t get the olives and pecorino out of his head. He made a salad with farro, olives, and cheddar. We’re also launching one of Enzo’s salads inspired by the trip: fennel, basil, and farro. If you try either of them today let us know your feedback here.