Olive oil milling courses

The Olive Center is taking sign-ups for two milling courses: introductory and advanced.

Organizers said the introductory course, scheduled for Sept. 30, is for people who are considering the purchase of olive oil milling equipment or who want to learn about how olive oil is made.

A flier notes the following topics: mill types and options; purchasing, installation and permits; site and building design; and processing essentials (fruit handling, crushing, malaxing, decanting, polishing, sanitation, storage and bottling).

The introductory program also includes a tasting session with en eye toward common processing defects.

The advanced course, Oct. 1-2, is for people who already have olive oil milling equipment or who want to learn more. Topics: maximizing quality and profitability through processing variables; aronomic variables that influence oil quality and efficiency; the influence of talc on oil quality, extraction and profitability; storage container influence on oil quality; and modifying sensory profile through processing variables.

The program for the advanced course includes the tasting of oils made with talc and sensory profiles modified by processing variables

Fees are $325 for the introductory course, $575 for the advanced course.

Registration can be arranged online. Or contact Nicole Sturzenberger, ndsturzenberger@ucdavis.edu.

Historian of Mexican cooking

A public program with Diana Kennedy, a historian of Mexican cooking, is scheduled for Oct. 28 at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.

The event is billed as An Evening with Diana Kennedy, with a starting time of 5 p.m. Location is the Sensory Theater at the RMI.

Kennedy has been an intrepid and indefatigable student of Mexican foodways for more than 50 years and has published several classic books on the subject.

Organizers of her visit to the RMI said Kennedy will lead a discusssion, and then, during a reception afterward, will sign copies of her latest book, Oacaxa al Gusto.

The price for An Evening with Diana Kennedy is $35, or $20 for Friends of the RMI, and for staff, faculty and students (with a limited number of these discounted seats available).

Reservations: Fill out the online form and mail it in with payment, or contact Kim Bannister, (530) 752-5171 or kbannister@ucdavis.edu.