Three years ago Kim and I moved into our new home. Excited about the freedom of my own cooking/experiment space, and knowing Kim's love for olives, I decided I'd try curing a batch from the trees that line her parents' property on Butler Ave.

I knew nothing of the process, so I turned to Google. After reading the instructions, and outlining the necessary materials, I couldn't help but imagine the thought process behind the method: Hmm...this olive is hard and bitter—it's complete inedible. Perhaps we should soak it in poison for a few weeks!

I couldn't find lye at any of the local stores, so I visited a chemical warehouse south of Fresno (I think I found them in the phonebook). They didn't sell to consumers, but the guy I met knew what I was trying to do, and offered me a few scoops of lye powder from a container twice my height. Figuring I had enough for my first batch, I was happy. Of course, after re-reading the instructions, I realized he had given me enough lye to cure thousands of olives.

The project got messy, and I neglected to replace the water daily. I eventually abandoned the olives altogether.

This year, I hope to re-visit the project. I've still got the lye, and I have access to at least half a dozen olive trees, if not more (many of the trees in Sunnyside go un-harvested, which results in a mess when the olives drop). I'm recruiting a little help, and investing a equipment: specifically, I'm drawing up plans for a system of buckets, strainers and drain spouts, which will make the daily work dead simple (and ideally, safer).

Olive season is still several weeks away, but I'll post updates and photos as the plans develop.