Olives? love/hate?

[WanderRA]

I just tried a black olive from a jar...

it was disgusting.

why are they so rare to buy raw and not in a jar?

please tell me they taste differently when not pickled/processed and straight from the tree.

[kaleboy]

An olive straight off the tree tastes pretty bad. My neighbour has an olive tree, and just cures them in salt for about a year so a totally raw product. Not sure about the shelf ones though but most of them are just cured in a brine so potentially a raw product. They are very good for you...I also like taking olive leaf extract in water occasionly.

[Dimond]

I've never liked olives alone. Was hoping recently that had changed like other foods have with raw, but nope still don't. I am fine with them mixed in meals though-like on pizza or in couscous couscous. The sun-dried kind with spices does much better though than in brine.

[blizzardfrisbee]

I love olives--I get them from some company that sells them raw. Good!

[Revvell]

You don't want to eat them straight off a tree. There are MANY different kinds and varieties and ways of processing. Some you'll enjoy ~ others, not. I purchased two jars of raw.... different processing ~ returned one. Almost made me vomit. The other ~ quite good.

[kaleboy]

I'm not sure exactly what you guys mean by raw olive ? most olives are treated in a cold brine solution for 12 months or so straight from the tree so there is no cooking / heating involved. The solution takes the bitter taste out of the olive and makes them soft.

[klomasius]

Kaleboy, by raw olives, most here are meaning raw processed olives, as the olives off the tree cannot be eaten as is.

EDIT: most olives off the shelf in the supermarket are not raw as:

a) they have been pasteurised at high temperatures in the jar.
b) they have preservatives or other non raw ingredients added to them.

[Revvell]

I'm not sure exactly what you guys mean by raw olive ? most olives are treated in a cold brine solution for 12 months or so straight from the tree so there is no cooking / heating involved.

Not true. Most olives here are canned. In order to can, high heat must be used.

[verbena]

I hated olives when I ate cooked food, now I LOVE them! I've just odered some proper raw greek olives and cannot wait to try them.:eat

[ACVille]

I get these, and I love 'em. They have pits, FYI.

http://livesuperfoods.com/raw-foods/olives/black-botija-olives-with-herbs.html

[verbena]

My raw olives arrived today, they are so different to regular supermarket olives. they have a strong alcoholic smell of dark rum, anyone else found this with raw olives? and when I ate some they gave me that warm feeling in my stomach that alcohol does, a bit strange.
I'm soaking a few in some salt water to see if they will plump up and soften a little as they are pretty chewy. and also see if it will take away the alchoholic aroma.

[kaleboy]

check the label, vanilla extract is also a fermented product containing alcohol...so better to use the pod and seeds.

[JennaHoneyBear]

blech, i don't like olives.
i did once as a kid, and i put them on the tips of my fingers and ate five or so...then I felt sick and never liked them ever again. think I was 5 :)
i don't even like the taste or smell of olive oil :P very strange because I am italian :)
I have this vision of how olives taste in my head, but its completely different than how they taste :confused: