We first got to know Fermín Rodríguez when he invited us to tour his family olive groves in Priego de Córdoba.  He told us of how, as a child, he would hide in the hollows of the ancient olive trees at the foot of the rolling Vizcántar Hills. Clearly, this is his life and his passion. As a professional taster, and producer of Señorío de Vizcántar Extra Virgin Olive Oil, he introduced us to the complex world of true extra virgin olive oil. A few years ago he married a delightful Berber woman named Aixa and we enjoy visiting their little girl Sofía during our visits. Maybe she will join the olive oil business with her father some day!

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Fermín Rodríguez - Olive Oil Taster

One recent Easter week, we visited the Villajos family in the tiny village of Porzuna deep in the meseta of La Mancha, where Antonio creates one of Spain's finest Manchego cheeses.&nbsp; When we visited last, Antonio's son was just finishing high school, and his daughter was working at one of the desks in their modest office. He took us for a brief tour of his cheese making operation, and we learned that Antonio knows each of the local shepherds, so that the fresh sheep's milk often arrives at the dairy only 15 minutes after it is milked! It is hard to describe the warmth and hospitality extended by Antonio and his wife. We have never tasted a Manchego cheese that compares to the ones he and his cheese master Bernardo produce.<a href="https://www.tienda.com/artisan-cheese/cheese-sheep">See our artisan cheeses ►</a>

Antonio Villajos - Cheesemaker

Our friends Bernát and his son of the same name work together in a modest workshop in a village on the island of Mallorca. They are a vanishing breed of craftsmen who create olive wood bowls, plates, mortars and pestles and other utilitarian objects from whole pieces of olive wood – nothing is laminated or glued together. The search for large pieces of fallen olives trees is a daunting task, but once the olive wood enters their workshop, father and son transform it to a thing of beauty.  Standing next to them amidst the sawdust and the lathes is a magical event.

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Bernát Fiol - Olive Wood Carver

Not far from Madrid is Sigüenza, a hill-town topped with a fairytale castle. &nbsp;In this ancient village, Jesus Blasco works with his brother and son to cut and stitch bota wineskins by hand, as they have been made for thousands of years. &nbsp;His small workshop is not much different than that of his father and grandfather, both of whom practiced this ancient trade.Jesús greeted us at his door and proudly showed us the painstaking process of cutting a goat hide, stitching it together, then sealing it with pine pitch to make it waterproof. &nbsp;Jesús and his son are proud of their skills, and are innovating to help preserve this craft for generations to come.<a href="/table/wine-service">Shop Bota Wineskins&nbsp;&nbsp;►</a>

Jesús Blasco - Bota Wineskin Maker

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