Every year we drive down to Fremont (soon to be new home of the Oakland A's) to attend the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose "Holiday Boutique." It's held right next to historic Mission San Jose (photo above). I'm talking 1797 people -- when the Spanish missionaries came to California and told the Ohlone Indians to move it. Their convent is right in the middle of an olive grove. It was here I finally understood (doh) the whole olives-grow-on-trees concept. Like, wait a minute, what in the heck are on those trees?!?! Olives? Really? WOW!
We've been going for six years, the first year as a lark to buy olive oil, but then we were hooked on the niceness of the sisters and the deliciousness of their holiday treats. Nun fruitcake is now part of our California Christmas tradition.
As a fundraiser, the sisters sell their 100% "extra virgin"olive oil (that's their joke!), along with fruit cake, holiday cookies, bourbon balls that pack a punch and homemade jam (which was all gone by the time we got there on Sunday -- sigh.) In a land without snow, for me the holiday season starts when we get to the nun fair. We buy olive oil and fruit cake (shut up -- it's good!) for both of our families. One year I forgot to bring home the nun fruit cake to my parents in Wisconsin and they were very upset with me. This year I will have to mail it so it will get there in time.
We are usually too shy to take pictures of the nuns out of respect (i.e. catholic guilt and the strong chance of a giant lightning bolt from the sky striking me down in mid-flash.) Although one year one of the nuns was wearing a Rudolph nose and I was very sad I didn't bring my camera, and then I felt guilty about the delighted thought of taking a picture of a nun wearing a Rudolph nose. This year we took pictures, and they didn't mind at all, and there was no "signal" from above that this was wrong, not even a holy tap on the shoulder that it was a venial sin.
Many of the nuns seem to be wizenheimers (Rudolph nose, etc.) and the ones selling the cookies made funny faces when the photo below was taken and made everyone on that side of the room laugh. They always have a door prize raffle -- this year I was only ONE NUMBER OFF! I guess that holiday gift bag with the Applebee's gift certificate went to someone who prays.
We bought olive oil, fruitcake, persimmons, christmas cookies, the famous (loaded with) bourbon balls, a felt turkey head (which is supposed to be slipped over a pineapple?! but my thought is a wine bottle) and nun knitting. I bought a tiny green & red knitted bag that holds things for joggers (?) and all of a sudden the Chef desperately needed yellow & brown hot pads.
Our Nun Boutique bounty is below.
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