Question about "raw" olives

[maraw]

I just returned from Whole Foods and was told that you can't eat "raw" olives (she said they don't digest and are too bitter to eat). I use quotation marks because they do carry some that are unpasteurized, they are still cooked however.

When I see recipes with raw olives in the ingredients list, exactly what kind of olives are they talking about? And where can I find them? I know the ones that come in cans are definitely cooked.

Thanks.

[rawjojo]

They sell "raw" olives at places like eatraw.com and natures first law and also some other raw food sites. People usually don't like them because they are not similar to the canned black olived that most folks are used to BUT I have seen on here a few good recipes for soaking and marinating raw olived and i have had them and I actually like them quite will. Hope this helps.
rawjojo

[Jackie1995]

I was under the impression that olives are marinated in order to make them edible, but they are not cooked or heated up or anything. "Raw" off the tree olives are just inedible, or so says my Greek buddy.
Life without olives would be like a beach without sand. Just rocks. Yikes. That's a horrible thought...

[tracyinfo]

There are some olives that are marineted in brine, and not heated. I think that all the olives you see on the shelf at the stores have been heated.

We have a Rainbow Grocery store in San Francisco, that carries raw olives.

Hope this helps.

Blessings.

[maraw]

That is my impression too - that most are heated in some way. I think I will just avoid them for a while until I feel like I really need to get 'em. If so, I will probably just mail order.

Thanks everyone!