Since the earliest of times, the olive tree and its fruit have symbolized peace, wisdom and progress, and its oils and fruits have been valued for their health benefits and medicinal properties. They lie at the centre of our culture and cuisine.
Past generations would eat olives as a complement to their meals, and they were a basic staple in the daily food intake of peasants and farm workers in Andalusia and Extremadura during the 19th and 20th Centuries, who usually ate black olives with bread.
The first accounts of the preparation of olives date from Classical times. The Romans and Greeks appreciated their culinary qualities and believed that they had aphrodisiac properties. We can find constant references to olives in the works of the Roman world. The 1st Century Spanish author Columella wrote extensively on agriculture and in his works we can find a method for the preparation of olives collected in the autumn harvests. They are first crushed, then washed in hot water and then flavoured by steeping them in brine containing fennel, fresh grape juice and mastic. Palladius and Cato also wrote works on agriculture and they too mention methods for preparing olives for eating.
Different methods for flavouring olives can be found from all over the Mediterranean world, and pre-date the expansion of the Arabs. The processes were passed on from one generation to the next and from one people to another, and ranged from simple homespun recipes carried out at home (and using garlic, aromatic herbs, lemon, pepper or vinegar) right up to larger scale industrial processes.
Olives are used in a wide variety of styles and are much more than a simple snack or appetizer. We can use them in salads, bottled and filled with pepper, or in stews and casseroles, and is a basic ingredient numerous typical Mediterranean dishes such as Arabian cous-cous, Greek salad and French tapenades.
We use our own and third-party cookies as a means of enhancing our services and providing you with advertising related to your preferences, by means of the analysis of your browsing habits. If you require further information or wish to know how to alter your settings, please consult our cookies policy here AcceptReject
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.