Olive loaf can refer to a bread with olives mixed in or a cured meat mixed with olives. Olives are a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and can be used in various ways. Olive loaves can be made with different flours and ingredients and can be served hot or cold. They pair well with cheese and are easy to make at home. Delicatessens carry both whole and sliced olive loaves that can be added to sandwiches or served as deli meat. Once opened, they should be refrigerated and used quickly.
Olive loaf can mean two completely different things, depending on the context. In the first sense, it is literally a loaf of bread that has been decorated with olives; olives can be mixed into the dough or sprinkled on top. In the second sense, it is a type of cured or baked meat that has been mixed with olives, classically stuffed green olives allspice, and is designed to be eaten cold as a luncheon meat. The meaning is usually clear from the context.
Olives are the ripened fruits of olive trees. They can be cured in a wide variety of ways to create an assortment of textures and flavors. They have been a part of Mediterranean cuisine for thousands of years and many people adore certain varieties of olives. The olives used to make olive loaves vary; Black olives, for example, are common in breads, while larger green olives tend to be preferred in the meat-based version of the olive loaf.
Olive loaves are quite common. They can be made with an assortment of flours and can include herbs, tomatoes, and other ingredients besides olives. These breads pair well with a large assortment of cheeses and can be served hot or cold. Olive wraps can be very useful for picnics, while other types of loaf stray perilously close to pizza, with toppings of cheese, olives and fresh herbs. Many bakeries carry olive loaves and they are also very easy to make at home.
In the sense of a luncheon meat, an olive loaf is made from finely ground beef or pork mixed with stuffed whole olives and compressed into a roasting pan or sausage casing. If the loaf is packed in a pan, it is cooked through and typically has a short shelf life. Olive loaves that are made into sausages can be smoked or pickled to create a meaty lunch like bologna that can last for several months under the right conditions.
Many delicatessens carry loaf of olives, both whole and sliced. It can be added to sandwiches or served as a deli meat with an assortment of other cured meats, vegetables, and aged cheeses. Once a seasoned olive loaf is opened, it should be refrigerated and used quickly, as it is no longer resistant to bacteria.
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