Family Dinners Remembered, Relived, Renewed
Family Dinners Remembered, Relived, Renewed
Lately, I’ve been reminded of a special time. The table is set spectacularly; every piece of silverware, every glass, and plate is where it’s supposed to be. The time taking effort to make a meal something unforgettable. It has the makings of an elegant formal dinner, yet it is in the comfort and casualness of our home. The feeling is joyful and lively. The kids are laughing, yelling, and running around like kids always do. The Moms (all sisters) are putting the final touches on the meal of the day. At the head of the table is Papá Ramon, endeared Grandfather and patriarch of the family, enjoying a hoppy ale, as he did prior to any great meal. The family isn’t celebrating anything special per se, but it is the weekend, and we are fortunate to be together. The ambience is cheerful, and focused on the most important thing, Family.
It was in these settings, that so many treasured memories have been lived. The blessing that it was to have everyone at the table, and to share a nice bottle of wine with a special dinner like braised short ribs, or a wonderful tray of jamón and cheese before a succulent paella. Papá Ramon cherished these family moments, and loved to celebrate these memorable meals. He did it, as if that moment, was the last moment on earth.
Papá Ramon inspired the business and the name of Los Olivos Market, because of his love for food and wine. As we work to adjust to this new normal the pandemic has pushed our communities to, I can’t help be reminded of everything he instilled in us. As we are forced to slow things down, spending most hours in shelter, a renewed appreciation is found for the moments we share. The time we dedicate to each meal, the ability to pair it with the right wine, and turn our days into enduring moments that will be everlasting.
At Los Olivos Markets.com, we have been posting some wonderful videos created by our talented Operations Director, Chef John Herdman. At first, we were just trying to adapt to the pandemic, and to the shelter in place measures executed by the government. We were shifting our business model from the physical to the online world. In that process, the videos have become more than that for us now. It is our hope that the videos we produce help curate experiences at home that bring a sense of exploration, and discovery.
Since the start of the Shelter in Place measures, our family has spent many hours cooking, in part, because many restaurants are temporarily closed, but also because there is time. There is time to savor the moment, and to be meticulous with every step. There is time to be creative and learn something new; to venture out, and try a recipe that may have seemed too tedious when life was racing past us. If our home is anything like other homes, this is a perfect opportunity to not only expand our horizons, but more importantly to cherish the experiences we share with our loved ones. Share the fun and savor the taste of what we have created.
Now more than ever we are proud to be part of the community, and consider ourselves fortunate to have the chance to support our vendors and customers. At Los Olivos Markets, we have always taken pride in curating experiences in great food, beer, and wine, that bridge Old World Tradition with Texas Charm. It was our intent since day one to showcase the best that Texas and the Hill Country had to offer. We loved seeing the daily visitors to our beloved Wimberley discover some of the best Texas Wines, Craft Beer, and Gourmet Foods. Today, we are proud to extend this to your home with our carefully thought out videos, and it has been an interesting journey, as we have shifted to life inside, and the business to an online store.
The parallel of the value and joy we have experienced in taking the time to cook with our families, and the effort we’ve put in the production of our videos to expand our business model is not lost on us. In practical terms, they help us highlight some of the best uses of the wonderful products our carefully selected vendors produce, but more importantly we believe they are an opportunity for you to create and share moments with your family that you will cherish forever. Please visit us at losolivosmarkets.com, or @losolivosmarket_wimberly on Instagram, or on our YouTube Channel to see more.
-Rafael