Olives! You either love ’em or hate ’em. As a child growing up with a step-father who demanded simple, plain Southern cooking, olives never graced our table. It was only as an adult that I learned to like the briny flavor of this flavorful food.

Olives Lived a Biblical Past

The history of olives date back to Biblical times as it was one of the 7 foods for which God praised Israel. In fact, the Seal of the State of Israel today features olive leaves.  The Bible and the Talmud contain numerous references to olives and olive oil.

Remember the story of Noah when he sent the dove out to find dry land? The dove returned with an olive branch, indicating the flood waters had receded.

Important Uses for Olive Oil in Israel

In ancient times, olive oil lit the golden Menorah in the old Temple in Jerusalem. Along with its use in food, olive oil was included as an ingredient in cosmetics and medicine.

Where Olive Trees Thrive

 

The trees are believed to be native to Northern Israel and Southern Syria and grow well in poor soil and drought conditions. Other countries grow them as well.

Another Well-Known Exporter of Olives

Trees growing in Greece today date back to the 13th Century and still produce olives. In fact, Greece is the 3rd largest exporter of olives in the world and the fruit plays an important role in the culture of the country.

Winners of the ancient Olympic Games played in Olympia, Greece, were crowned with olive branches.

I know from my own travel experience in Greece that olives grace the majority of native dishes in some way.

Kiwis Grow Olive Trees

My New Zealand friends retired to property on an island across the bay from the city of Auckland and began planting olive trees. As their grove grew and produced fruit, their olive oil business blossomed. The oil we received from them at Christmas was delicious!  Other countries also grow the trees.

Grown Throughout the World

Olives trees thrive throughout the world, especially the Mediterranean countries and Latin America and the U.S.  Most of the olives in the U.S. originate in California. Italy produces over 500 varieties of olive trees.

Is the Olive a Fruit or Vegetable?

Ask a botanist and they may say the olive is a fruit because it contains a seed and grows and develops from the plant’s flower. In the kitchen, the olive is thought of as a vegetable because of its briny flavor and the fact that we don’t use it as dessert food. But technically, it is a fruit.

Many Kinds of Olives

Meaty, briny olives cured in salt or oil may be purchased in a myriad of colors from green to purple to black. My personal favorite is the Greek Kalamata Olive first tasted at a small outdoor cafe in The Plaka in Athens in 1993. The Greeks include olives in many recipes and alongside many dishes. The purple Kalamata with its salty, strong flavor goes well with the Greek feta cheese.

Nicoise Olives

Famous on the French Riviera, the Nicoise olive is popular in salads. The strong fragrance and taste are an acquired taste.

Mission Olives Grow in California

Mission olives were grown in California back in the 1700’s. This variety is popular for olive oil.

Familiar Manzanilla Olive Popular for Cooking

This green fruit may be found stuffed with pimientos as well as used in appetizers.

I covered only a few varieties of olives here. You can find many more online.

The Future of Olives

Because olive trees grow and flourish in poor conditions, are popular in food as well as used for other purposes, the fruit should continue to feed humans for thousands of years to come. Let’s make the most of it and find more ways to add it to our cooking.

If you want to learn more about this ancient food, check out this site full of information.

Ganny’s Favorite Olive Recipes

My first introduction to olive tapenade came at The Perfect Caper, our favorite upscale restaurant in Punta Gorda, Florida. Never would I be able to equal Jeanie Roland’s delicious dish there, but the recipe below is one I finally decided upon after practicing and testing various methods.

Olive Tapenade

1 1/2 – 2 Cups pitted, Kalamata olivers
3 Cloves Garlic
2-3 TBSP. Lemon juice
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sundried Tomatoes (I don’t measure so choose an amount to try.)
Chopped parsley to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Some recipes call for capers, which are not my favorite. Add a couple TBSP if you like.

Pull out the food processor or blender and pulse the garlic first. Then add the remaining ingredients and pulse. You can add more of any of the liquid ingredients by the teaspoon, if the mixture is too dry.

Chill and serve this savory dish on ciabatta bread, toast points or crackers or use as a dip if you prefer.

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Olive Pepper Spirals

This is not an original recipe but I don’t know where I found it. I’ve used it for many years for parties.

1 Cup pitted olives
1 TBSP Olive oil
2 tsp. Capers, drained  (optional)
2 tsp. Lemon juice
3 Large tortillas
4 oz. Creamed Cheese (Your choice of flavors. Chives is good.)
1 C. roasted red peppers, well-drained.  Cut in pieces
Sea salt to taste

Combine olives, olive oil, capers, and lemon juice in blender and pulse until finely chopped.  Lay out tortillas and spread creamed cheese over each of them. Top each with 1/3 of the olive mixture spread over the creamed cheese. Top this with lettuce leaves. Then add the roasted red pepper pieces for the next layer.

Roll up each tortilla and wrap with Saran wrap or wrap of your choice. Chill for a few hours. To serve:  slice each tortilla roll into 6 or 7 slices and serve as appetizers.