For Me, There Is No Better Tapa Than A Really Good Stuffed Olive

Chef Jose Andrés is, without a doubt, one of the greatest chefs and human beings on Earth. I first learned about him after watching every single episode of Iron Chef America; he would be on and off as one of the judges, but you can see him shine through on Chef’s Table and on Jose Andrés and Family in Spain. 

I came across his humanitarian work with World Central Kitchen, which solidified my impression of his good nature. The work they do is truly impressive; the coordination and joint effort achieved are the result of gold-medal teamwork.  

I hope Spain is deeply proud of him because he is a national treasure. His enduring and conspicuous love for his country and its flavours is an homage to the magic of food. We dined in his restaurant, China Chilcano in DC, and asked the bar attendant about him, and he had nothing but praise for Jose Andrés, so lovely. 

I have the utmost respect for him for standing up for Washington, DC, when they decided to deploy the National Guard. He reminded me of the marvellous chef Antony Bourdain and his unapologetic, unwavering political activism. I believe that if you want to live a meaningful life and leave a proud legacy, you must be on the right side of history and make it work. 

I also share Jose Andre’s views on olives; I've always been fascinated by this marvellous Mediterranean tree and its fruit. They never cease to amaze me, and I understand why the Greeks would see it as a serious offence to uproot them. I mean, they can outlive generations; the oldest one in Crete, Greece, is approximately 4,000 years old and still producing fruit!

The first time I saw an olive tree in person was when I travelled to Greece to meet my friend, and I was perplexed. Two hours after arriving, I visited a park near the hotel, and there it was, one with its branches full of peace and wisdom. I sat next to it and rejoiced, wondering about all the things it must have witnessed. Recently, it melted my heart to learn that the best word to describe them is resilience, which is the same attribute people use to describe me: a trait based on teaching your brain and body how to recover more quickly each time, but you are not born with it; you teach yourself to adapt. 

Olive trees also constitute a fundamental pillar of the Spanish economy, as Spain is the global leader in olive oil production and exports, accounting for approximately of the global total. This sector generates thousands of jobs and wealth in rural areas, and serves as a key source of export revenue, valued at billions of euros annually.

Spain leads not only in production but also in exports, which drive agri-food trade, with olive oil reaching over 150 countries. Olive cultivation generates over 32 million workdays per season and sustains the employment of more than 350,000 farmers, playing a crucial role in retaining population in rural areas. The olive oil industry and the cultivation of table olives contribute significantly to the country's agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Olive oil exports have generated more than 4 billion euros in recent seasons, underscoring their significance for the trade balance.

Beyond oil production, olive groves boost olive tourism and the cosmetics industry while also helping to combat desertification and climate change.

The olive tree—known as "liquid gold"—is not merely an agricultural product, but a structural asset that unites tradition, culture, and economic sustainability in Spain. When you walk around the city of Valencia, you find them everywhere, and they are not hard to miss, even when you are not looking up because of the ripe olives on the floor.

Bees are fundamental allies for the Spanish olive sector—a key pillar of the country's agricultural economy. Although the olive tree is primarily wind-pollinated (anemophilous), the involvement of bees (entomophilous pollination) is increasingly recognised for its benefits regarding both the quantity and quality of the olives produced. 

• They transport pollen between different olive varieties, thereby promoting fruit set and ensuring more stable production.

• Their visits to olive blossoms can improve the percentage of flowers that successfully develop into fruit, as well as their final development.

• They foster a healthy ecosystem within the olive grove by attracting other beneficial insects that help control pests, thereby enabling more sustainable and eco-friendly olive farming practices.

• Their presence in Andalusian olive groves—as well as in other regions of Spain—serves as a sign of an environment free from pollutants and of agricultural practices that respect the natural world.

The next logical step after arriving in Valencia was to buy an olive tree, but the one I initially got is too young to bear fruit, and it is probably best if I turn it into a bonsai. My dream came true when I first visited my current apartment. When I went out onto the terrace, I saw a beautiful olive tree with young olives! My initial impression was that it was probably a prized possession, since it takes 4 to 8 years to produce fruit, but luckily for me, I was wrong. It turned out that when the previous renter took all her stuff out, she decided to leave it behind! I had sent her a message through the realtor asking her to leave any plant she could not take, but I didn’t imagine in my wildest dreams she would leave that one! YAY! I wish she knew that her legacy would live in a total stranger through a tree she had cared for. 

I started counting the days until I could harvest the olives, and finally, around the end of September, I did! You can’t really enjoy them unless you cure them, and I did with some rosemary, very little lemon and orange peels with a splash of olive oil on top, magnifque! The first jar was ready by Halloween, and the second one around my birthday! Happy olive-day to me! I admit I have to perfect the art of curing olives, but it was our first harvest in Valencia!

Val teases me because our tree has a plant passport, and it’s ironic since I don’t have a European passport yet, hahahaha. Its travel document means the tree has undergone the phytosanitary process, which is required for all plants and seeds entering or transiting the EU. I will write a post about this subject because it’s crucial for our food security, but for now I will only say that I am static, I can take it wherever I go!

Right now, it’s starting to grow these little buds that will become beautiful, blooming flowers! I am deeply grateful for this tree; it gives me something to look forward to all year long.

Our purpose.

Talk to us.

One of the wonderful olive trees I saw in Greece.

My baby olive tree, the first one I bought!

This is how my adopted olive tree looked like when its olives began to ripen.

The first harvest! Yay!

You can see the splash of olive oil at the top since the rest is salted water.

Before going to China Chicano, Val and me also visited the Natural Museum of History.

One of the dishes we ordered at China Chicano DC, so good.

The mural at China Chicano DC, I loved the artwork.

The bar area for China Chicano. The whole decoration of the restaurant is beautiful..