Factors To Consider When You Buy Olives
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Many people assume that all olives are alike and don’t place much thought about what to get from the deli or grocery. There are green olives which are under-ripe and black ones which are ripe, as well as dark purplish kalamatas. Whether you want green or black, experts recommend that you buy olives only from producers that adhere to strict standards of selection and brining.
The olive is a member of the fruit family although it cannot be eaten straight from the tree. The flesh of the unprocessed fruit is tough and must undergo brining to make it palatable.
Fruit origin
From the Mediterranean countries where they were mainly grown, olives are now produced worldwide, particularly in countries that have warm summers and wet winters. Spain, which is still the world’s largest producer of olives, uses lye or caustic soda for curing and debittering the fruits. Health professionals suggest that when you buy olives, be cautious about choosing lye-treated fruits because this chemical is harmful to the human body and destroys most of the nutrients found in olives.
Harvest period
Timing is important in the harvest of olives. In Australia, for example, producers pick the fruits within a 6-week period which they refer to as the “window”, sometime between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The fruits are handpicked to prevent damage or bruising and squeezed to check for maturity. A secretion of fluid at the stem end of the fruit indicates that is mature.
Debittering
The fruits are then washed immediately and submerged in cool water to remove dirt, debris and some of the bitter principles. After the fruits are washed, these are left in a container of salt water solution for brining. Brining not only removes the bitter taste of the fruit but also tenderises the flesh so that it does not have a woody texture.
The quality of the fruits also depends on the brining techniques used. Brining can take months and is monitored closely in the meantime for acidity and temperature levels to prevent harmful bacterial growth. Brining determines the final outcome of the fruits and and the best tasting ones are those that are not cured excessively..
When you buy olives, you should look for a crisp taste regardless of the colour of the fruit. Pitted olives are also sold as stuffed fruits containing spices like red peppers, lemon, garlic, and even anchovies, which make delicious appetizers..