All About Olives

The olive tree dates back to early antiquity in the biblical and classical. In these early works, olive oil referred as a symbol of goodness and purity, and the tree represents peace and happiness. In ancient times, oil was also burnt in sacred lamps at temples during the Olympics and the winner was crowned with its leaves.

Olives have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Asia Minor. Today olives are commercially produced in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Portugal, China, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Angola, South Africa, Uruguay, Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand and California. The Mediterranean area produces 93% of oil production. Currently, almost 800 million olive trees cultivated. California is the only state where olives are grown commercially. Over 90% of olive production is used to make olive oil.

The olive tree is considered an evergreen tree. These trees can live for over 2000 years. They grow 20-40 ft high and begin to bear fruit between 4 and 8 years. The tree blooms with small white flowers and have a wonderful aroma.

A Franciscan missionary planted the first olive tree in California in 1769 at a Franciscan mission at San Diego. The olives grown in California mission olives are called ° ±. Of all the species of olives, this olive is especially good for their oil.

Olives are not edible, green or ripe, and must be treated with bleach and / or cured in brine or dry salt before being edible. They contain about 20% oil. Olives must be treated to remove the bitter glycoside oleuropein, before they are edible, are usually treated first with bleach and vinegar.

Greek olives are not treated with bleach. They are strong tasting because they are just packed in dry salt or brine for 6 to 12 months (where they undergo a process of lactic fermentation), and finally packed in fresh brine.

Spanish green olives are harvested before they are ripe, treated with lye, is placed in a brine and allowed to ferment.

California olives are treated to fix the pigment, treated with lye, packed immediately in brine and sterilized. They do not undergo the fermentation process, sterilization and cooks them. This lack of fermentation and "kitchen" when they are sterilized produces a mild, uninteresting olive

Ten black olives average only 50 calories and 4 grams of fat.

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