Olives, olives, and more olives!

You know a food has a deep history when it is steep in mythology. So it is with the olive. It is said that Athena, daughter of Zeus and Goddess of Wisdom, made a gift of the olive tree to the Greeks. Athena planted the tree on a rocky hill that is now called Acropolis. It is believed that the tree that grows there now comes from the roots of the original tree. 

The olive branch is a well known symbol of peace and is often seen in conjunction with the dove; hence the expression, "extending the olive branch."

Extending the olive branch

The unassuming olive tree may not impress anyone at first glance. It is small in stature and fairly nondescript. However, look closer and you will see a tree that can endure longer than most other trees. Some trees have lasted for hundreds of years and continue to bear fruit.  

Olive Tree

So sturdy is olive wood that is prized for its beauty and demands a hefty price from the buyer. 

Olive wood bowl with lid

Most of the olives we eat, those considered "table olives," are grown in Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and California.

Olives can't be eaten straight from the tree.  They are inherently bitter.  Table olives are all cured in some way, either using lye or brine or salt packing.  The process of curing takes the bitterness away and, depending on the type of olive, gives a unique olive flavor. Fermentation occurs during the curing process.

Enough cannot be said about the big nutrition packed in the tiny olive. They have a high level of monounsaturated fat, which is directly associated to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering the blood cholesterol (LDL). Research also indicates that olives and olive oils can help decrease blood pressure by actually changing the signal patterns of cell membrane. Most notable is the diverse range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients unique to olives themselves. It is no surprise to find out that olives and olive leaves have been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat inflammatory problems, including allergies. Olive extracts have been shown to work as anti-histamines at the cellular level.

Here's a breakdown of the types of olives from throughout the world:

• manzanilla: Spanish green olive, available unpitted and/or stuffed, lightly lye-cured then packed in salt and lactic acid brine.

• picholine: French green olive, salt-brine cured, with subtle, lightly salty flavor, sometimes packed with citric acid as a preservative in the U.S.

• kalamata: Greek black olive, harvested fully ripe, deep purple, almond-shaped, brine-cured, rich and fruity flavor

• niçoise: French black olive, harvested fully ripe, small in size, rich, nutty, mellow flavor, high pit-to-meat ratio, often packed with herbs and stems intact

• liguria: Italian black olive, salt-brine cured, with a vibrant flavor, sometimes packed with stems

• ponentine: Italian black olive, salt-brine cured then packed in vinegar, mild in flavor

• gaeta: Italian black olive, dry-salt cured, then rubbed with oil, wrinkled in appearance, mild flavor, often packed with rosemary and other herbs

• lugano: Italian black olive, usually very salty, sometimes packed with olive leaves, popular at tastings

• sevillano: Californian, salt-brine cured and preserved with lactic acid, very crisp.

Now that we have some sense of the part olives play in our history, let's consider how to make them a part of our culinary experience.  I'm sure we've all tasted olives stuffed with pimentos, and we've likely had a pizza with canned black olives at one time or another. We've all spied with our little eye those olives on the buffet table or salad bar.

Instead of the typical use of olives as an appetizer or a salty addition to our salad, we have decided to talk about tapenades today.  But first we need to know what a tapenade is and where it come from.  

The official definition of tapenade is, a Provençal paste or dip, made from black olives, capers, and anchovies.  Provencal means coming from Provence in South-eastern France.  

In today's culinary world, tapenades can be made with a variety of olives, combining ripe with green.  Tapenades are a salty, briny additional to any number of dishes from sandwiches, to a stuffing with goat cheese in cherry tomatoes, to a garnish on a cream of potato soup.

So let's get started on our tapenade.

Here's what you need:

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup pitted olive (I like to use a variety of different kind.  Use quality olives)

2 tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you need to do

Place the garlic cloves into a blender or food processor; pulse to mince. Add the olives, capers, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil Blend until everything is finely chopped. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

***Note: if you like you can easily add anchovies to the recipes.  Add to taste.

Have fun tapanading out there!!!

Now go out and make something good.