What's new
By:
Filters
Cooking Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Educate Me on Olives

T

Twinmama

Guest
I must confess to something. I am nearly 35 years old and I only just this month tried an olive for the first time. It was not at all what I expected! So salty and meaty.

Anyhow, I thought I'd get some olives at the store, but I was overwhelmed by the variety: spanish, kalamata, green, oh the list goes on and on. But I don't know what the names MEAN. Are all olives salty? Can someone help educate me, please?
 
Olives are preserved in a brine consisting of a strong solution of water and salt to preserve them - that is why they seem so salty to you. Because olives are so bitter when picked, they need to be cured for consumption. Many of the olives that are grown are picked green (unripe and they are very UNEATABLE until cured) and then they turn black after the curing process (lye curing - usually wood ash - and oxidation). Then they are usually packed in a weaker solution for sale. Olives can also be brined in a salt solution (no lye) as well as dry-cured - by rubbing salt on them.

The darker the olive - the higher the oil content - meaning a richer flavor. Nicoise and Greek Kalamata are best when picked at full maturity.

Because of the strong flavor and saltiness of olives you need to be careful when cooking with them as they can dominate the dish you are preparing.

Kalamata olives are brine-cured and jarred in vinegar. They are usually meaty with a fruity taste. Marinated in oil gives them a smokier taste. Good for salads.

Manzanilla are small green olives usually pitted and stuffed with pimientos. Used in martinis or certain dishes.

Nicoise are tiny/ brown and brined-cured and usually packed with herbs. Good for salads.

Black olives are soft skinned and vinegar-cured. Good for salads.

Various countries prepare olives in different ways. Marinated in oils and/or vinegars or citrus, stuffed with a variety of things, packed with herbs and spices, etc.

Olives (depending on the type) can be used in anything from drinks (martinis), breads/biscuits/bagels/muffins, salads, veggie dishes, meat dishes, on pizza/bruschetta/crostini, used in tampenades, eaten right out of hand, etc.

Personally - I love them in salads (greens or pasta or rice) and I really enjoy them as part of a cheese/olive lunch or snack. I was brought up on the ?Mediterranean way? of eating them - cheese and olives can make a meal with a chunk of homemade bread. When I get the munchies I grab for them over junk foods.....a little dish of olives, pickles and pepperoncini and/or banana peppers - satisfies my craving for junk.
 
I have never been a fan of olives. Then again, I have never known a lot about them. I should venture out a little more and I would probably find some I liked.
 
Olives have healing qualities as well and are great for preventing cancer, etc. don't forget - that is where they get olive oil from!
 
Oh yes, and I do like olive oil and cook with it often (actually, I always cook with olive oil unless I'm making something whose flavor will not be good with it). But I've never cared for olives.

I'm weird that way, though. I'm also the one who likes peanuts but doesn't like peanut butter! :D
 
I like to use Berio Olive Oil for sauteing! It's light enough for salads and cooking and doesn't leave an after taste. I tried Pompeii Olive Oil years ago - OMG - the oil in my car is not that thick! And what an after-taste. But I can honestly say - it was good at removing paint from my hands and arms after I painted the house!! Since then I stick to the much lighter ones!
 
Thanks, Mama. I feel educated now, thanks. :)

I never realized the Nicoise salad was named after the OLIVES in it. Huh.
 
Don't worry man, I've never had an olive in my entire life. They just don't look that good.
 
We are huge olive fans in our house! Black ones are grat for kids to put on their fingers and eat. Sliced black are good with pizza and pasta. Kalamata olives are a good appetizer, snack, and also in any greek-style dishes - they have a very distinct flavor. Green olives are ok too, and they're oftn stuffed with red pepper pieces.
 
Oh gosh -- I'm in hysterics picturing your face. An olive for the first time is an AWESOME face no matter what kind you choose. LOL I like the green with pimentos & black olives also. And how on earth? at the age of 35 have you never had a black olive? I thought those were something everyone had on either pizza or a mexican dish at one point or another.

LOL @ Raquelita -- My kids do the same. In fact last week 1 of the kids was showing off his olive fingers... and another decided to steal one, and when he bit it, he also bit a finger......... He was hurt, but only for a moment and then the hysteria began!
 
I think all kids eat black olives off their fingers! Some even suck the red pimiento out of the green stuffed ones and put them on their fingers!
 
Brings back memories of sucking out pimentos! Bout choked to death once. Serves me right! LOL

What's the deal with how they make your nose flare on the 1st bite, but after that you're okay? Is that just tastebuds getting use to the flavor or what? You'd think if they flared on olive #1 they'd go on #20 also
 
Has anyone tried the garlic stuffed olives---the ones that I have bought are the green ones??? They are to die for and make a great hors deoerves!! BTW, thanks Mama for the olive info---I didn't know ANY of that and I agree on the Pompeii olive oil--must be named after the lava from the real volcano.
 
I used to eat pimento-stuffed green olives when I was a kid, but I don't really like them much anymore. I can usually eat 2 or 3 every Christmas, I put them out with pickles, carrots, and celery sticks as a snacking platter. The olives are usually gone first because my 10 year old and hubby love them. In fact, hubby is currently on an olive kick, he's been taking a 6 oz can of black olives to work with lunch everyday for the past 6 weeks.
 
Don't forget that olive oil comes from olives, so that have a lot of oil in them. Plus since they are in a brine solution, they have a lot of salt. Olive oil is a great oil for cooking, and the Mediterranean diet has low heart disease. But you should avoid all oils as much as possible. Olive oil is better than peanut oil, but no oil would be best.

And olive oil is only one part of the Mediterranean diet. The other is major parts are that the Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables with very little red meat and lots more fish then we Americans eat.

I love olives, and because of the olive oil, salt levels I only eat a handful at a time.

So Doctor Pepper's diet for today is:
Avoid all fats
Use Olive or Canola Oil instead of peanut or vegetable oil
Eat minimal red meat
Eat fish several times a week (healthy fish and not tuna or swordfish)
Eat lots of fruit
Eat lots of vegetables

So easy to say but so hard to do .... but I think if you try so stay within those rules, straying into other areas is ok. Just don't get lost!
 
Olives is one of the very few foods I just don't like. I have tried to like them and often eat them in dishes, but I just don't like them at all :eek:
 
I grew up eating olives and I wish I would keep them in the house more. I do cook with olive oil any time I can and always use it in my bread making. I think for some they are an acquired taste.
 
I think olives are just one of those foods that are natural and even though it contains fat, it's healthy to eat (instead of something like Olestra). As far as flavor and taste, maybe it's something that you grow up with and so you like the taste of olives. I like olives, and buy lots of gourmet olives at the grocery store. And yet my wife doesn't like olives at all.

I always stay aware of the fat content of olives, and only eat a few at a time but I really enjoy the taste.

There have been many studies done on the Mediterranean region and the low incidence of heart trouble and much of the focus is on olive oil. From what I've read, this doesn't mean that we should go out and drink olive oil, but instead, we should replace corn, peanut, safflower, and other oils in our cooking with minimal amounts of olive oil. So lightly grease the skillet with olive oil instead of corn oil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top