Olives are ideal for snacks and as ingredients in appetizers and meals.
The olive is not actually edible when picked straight from the tree. It is tough and bitter as well. All olives come from the same types of trees. The differences between them actually come down to the stage at which the farmers pick them and the curing process the olives go through afterward.
Greek Olives
Kalamata olives--thin olives that are deep purple in color--are a type of Greek olive, but there are also black and green Greek olives. What sets Greek olives apart is not the color but the curing process. Greek olive curers use no lye in the curing process. Instead, they pickle the olives directly into dry salt or brine for six to 12 months. After this process, during which the olives ferment, the curers soak the olives in brine.
Black Olives
The typical black olive differs from Greek olives primarily because of the use of lye in the curing process. Farmers pick the olives that become black olives when the olives achieve full ripeness. The black olives can forgo a pre-brining process. Whoever cures the black olives can use lye, oil, water, salt or brine to cure the olives. If they use salt or brine, the black olives are Greek olives.
Green Olives
Green olives are similar to black olives except that farmers pick them before they become ripe. Green olives must also undergo a lye soaking process in order to soften them up enough for the curing process. The curer can use salt, lye, oil or water. However, even with salt or brine, the green olives are not Greek olives because of the pre-curing lye soak.
Spanish Green Olives
Spanish green olives are similar to both Greek green olives and basic green olives. The curers use the unripe olives. Like basic green olives and unlike Greek green olives, Spanish green olives receive a lye soak pre-brining treatment. Afterward, curers use brine to cure the Spanish green olives.
Tags: black olives, curing process, salt brine, Greek olives, green olives