Greek olives are a versatile ingredient in Greek cuisine, used in traditional dishes and for making olive oil. They are harvested and brined before being used in cold or hot dishes. Green and black varieties are available, with Kalamata being the most popular worldwide.
An olive is a small pitted fruit with a sour and bitter taste. It grows on trees and is native to the Mediterranean area, specifically the country of Greece, a major producer of olives. There are several Greek olives that vary in color, flavor and texture; however, they all tend to play an important role in Greek cuisine from being an ingredient in traditional dishes to being used for making olive oil.
Greek olives tend to be considered a versatile ingredient in Greek cuisine. The fruit is not usually eaten raw directly from the tree. Instead, after being harvested from olive trees, individual olives are often dipped in vinegar, salt or oil, a process known as brine, before being packaged in jars or cans with the brine solution. The olives can be cut into small slits before being added to the brine ingredients to allow the ingredients to fully penetrate and flavor the olives. They can be served alone cold or at room temperature as a snack or appetizer, or they can be used as an ingredient in other hot dishes, such as casseroles and quiches, or as a side dish.
Besides being used for consumption in their original form, Greek olives are also used extensively in the production of the world’s supply of olive oil. The oil is extracted from olives and is a form of monounsaturated fat, which is generally considered a healthier option than saturated fats, such as butter or lard. Saturated fats are derived from animal products and are thought to raise cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart attacks. Olive oil is often used at room temperature, such as for salad dressings or dipping bread, or it can be heated for cooking foods.
One of the most used varieties of Greek olives are green olives, which are harvested and packaged before they are fully ripe. Specific green varieties include gaidoroelia, megara and conservelea. Black olives are a variety of Greek olives that ripen on trees before being harvested. Kalamata olives are large and black with a more fruity flavor than the more bitter taste of green olives and tend to be one of the most consumed types worldwide.
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