“The Olive Tree is surely the richest gift of Heaven,” Thomas Jefferson
Mort Rosenblum, former editor of the International Herald Tribune, purchased 5 acres in Provence with an overgrown grove of 150 olive trees which were old when the Sun King ruled France. To Christians, Jews and Muslims, the olive is a symbol of wisdom, fertility and peace. Those who live among the olive trees describe their air as pure and their lives as full. Mort became obsessed with olives as he began to restore the grove on his land. He journeyed to Andalusia, the Holy Land, Tunisia and Morocco, the Greek Islands, Bosnia, Italy, Mexico, and California to tell the story of the olive, the growers, the olive oil makers and those who share his passion. This book is a homage to the olive which he describes as an essential ingredient in any life worth living.
Olives: The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit is the Winner of the James Beard Award and is available in both hard cover and paperback.