Raw Olives

[SamuelWilson]

Hey everyone, I always like to check with each manufacturer to verify if the ingredients is all raw. Well, I saw some raw olives in a jar online and I wanted to make sure they were never heated. I sent an email asking them about the olives and you will not believe the shrewd response I received. Below is the email response from Living Tree Community in regards to my inquiry about the olives.

"You are asking if raw earth olives are raw?What do you think?!"

and that was it. Can you believe that was their response?
Is it just me or was that a rude response?

[Cinnamon]

I'd take it as a rude response, in the raw community they "should" know that we do have to question and verify the rawness of what we are buying!

[Halo Aglow]

Most definitely rude! Extremely unprofessional. You would think that person wouldn't respond like that and risk a sale.

[SamuelWilson]

Yeah, I was thinking it was rude, I just wanted some back up on this one. The response I received from Living Tree Community was definitely the most unprofessional response I have ever received.

[rawpriestess]

WOW, this is the rudest response, I have ever heard.

Unbelievable.

They say if you please one customer you've pleased one customer, but if you offend one customer, you've offend 10,000, because that is how many they will tell, who will tell others, who will tell others.

I truly believe this.

I used to recommend them to everyone, not any more.

I need the people I talk to about raw, to get clear, consice, caring responses, when asking a question.

Thanks so much for this information

[exurb]

Makes me think they're not raw. Most companies that have raw stuff are so pleased to tell you.

Does the jar pop when you open it like it's been in a vacuum and got unsealed, if so, not raw IMO.

Here's a lil tip for olives... I don't know if they have it at every Costco or just in Canada, but they sell kalamata olives in a 2 quart black plastic barrel for $13.99 CDN, made by Pilaros. I have verified from the company that they are totally raw, just cured in brine. The same company's other olives in jars are pasteurized, but not the ones in the plastic barrel.

I don't even look at olives that are in jars because generally they're not raw.

[SamuelWilson]

exurb, can you order them online anywhere?

[exurb]

No, I'm quite sure you can't. Call Costco, because as far as I can tell their distribution is like in a small region (seems to be ontario and quebec), and then to Costco, so maybe Costco brings it near you? I looked for a Costco product number on the package but didn't see one. It says Pilaros, Kalamata Olives, naturally selected olives in brine. It is in a black plastic container with a two part lid, sort of mocks the way a barrel would look.

The ingredients are stuff like water, salt, it does have olive oil as the last ingredient in the brine, LOL doesn't state a temperature on that oil, but there's only a tiny bit of it and it is apparently "cold pressed," whatever... I just eat the olives not the brine. I'm sure the salt's not Celtic either :rolleyes: , but I'm happy to find what I think is a cured unheated olive for cheap.

It's actually 3 litres, which is a little more than 3/4 of a gallon!

Have you ever tried curing your own? They're sort of in season now, that might be a good option, you can buy a case of olives quite reasonably. (Last year I paid $19 CDN for a case the size of a case of grapes or so).

[SamuelWilson]

Curing my own, that is a great option. I need to research that.

[rawpriestess]

Here is a recipe to try, I found it on Google:

The Olive Recipe
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olives should be picked when dark and ripe, but not over-ripe, as they bruise easily. Wash and slash each olive deeply on each side with a knife and place in large, non-metal containers. Pour a solution of salty water (4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of pickling salt to 1 quart of water) over olives. Leave the olives uncovered and in a cool place.

Stir a little each day. Change the brine each week. Sample after the third week, and continue the process if olives are still bitter.

When they are no longer bitter, rinse the olives well. Fill screw-top quart jars 2/3 full of olives. Prepare a mixture of vinegar and spices: 1 pint water, 1 pint vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, ½ teaspoon oregano, 2 small lemon wedges, and 1 clove of garlic, and pour over olives.

Top with a ½ inch layer of olive oil and screw lid tightly. Invert the jar for a week. Store right-side up in a cool place. Olives will keep for several years.

[SamuelWilson]

Can celtic sea salt be your pickling salt?

[rawpriestess]

Absolutely. YES.

[exurb]

Thanks for the recipe rp.

I did mine last year with Celtic (the coarse stuff because I hear the fine ground stuff is heated). Actually, my mother in law sort of did them for me if I really tell the truth :cool: . I remember also putting bay leaf in there, and we put chili peppers on the green ones :D .

A note on the olives, the black ones are truly ripe, the green ones are black ones picked early. Sort of like peppers, where there's really no such thing as a green pepper, it is just an unripe red, yellow, orange pepper, picked early at the green stage. I did both, the black ones turned out way better than the green. I bought the olives easily at this time of year at a large supermarket in an Italian area of town, I'm sure if you have any greek markets they could also be had there, probably more cheaply than at a specialty foods retailer.

The only salt you don't want to use is grocery store table salt, it has additives in it that can ruin the batch (as it also ruins pickling, hence the pickling salt being recommended).

The olives came out nice and firm, real olivey taste.

[SamuelWilson]

Celtic sea salt coarse ground is heated?

I sure hope not, I use it daily. Does anyone know if fine ground celtic sea salt is heated?

[exurb]

no, the coarse stuff is unheated. I read that the fine "salt shaker" type Celtic salt is heated to dry it out before grinding (and I remember a high temperature, don't remember what). Some stores only have the coarse, maybe you've never seen the fine stuff, it looks dry and even a little finer than regular table salt. I'll try to find where I read it.

[SamuelWilson]

I meant to say fine ground.

I use The Original Brand CELTIC SEA SALT sold at www.celtic-seasalt.com

I feel really bad that it is heated. I was under the impression that it was not.

[SamuelWilson]

I just got off the phone with CELTIC OCEAN INTERNATIONAL, INC. and they informed me that they do not heat their "FINE GROUND" salt above 100 degrees. I asked the customer care representative I spoke with to check with other associates in the office to verify that just to be on the safe side. She re-confirmed that the fine ground sea salt is not heated above 100 degrees during the drying process.

I am so glad to hear this because I really do like this salt.

[Autumn]

Samuel,
Sorry you were treated so poorly. I am not surprised, however. I deal with so many people on a daily basis and I am increasingly saddened by the way I am talked to over the phone and in person. I practically offer to detail my customer's cars, babysit their kids (I'm exaggerating of course) or do whatever it takes to keep their business. The fact that I receive countless thank you notes and hundreds of referrals proves to me that, above all, exceptional customer service is what keeps people coming back.

I have even bought slightly inferior products from a company that I *knew* would treat me far better than another company with a better product. Just think of how many people might not buy from that company after your post here. It's a shame for the company that they have one rude employee, but it is human nature to be turned off by even one unprofessional encounter.

[SamuelWilson]

The real sad part is it was the President of that company.

[rawpriestess]

Well, it could be the delivery

This is what I sent them on 11/7
****************
Hi,

I am a 100% raw foodist, and use many of your products.

I would like to know if your olives, (both kinds) are raw, what I mean by this is if they and anything that they are stored in are not heated above 115%.

Such as the olives themselves, any vinegars, or spices, any oils or water, and herbs.

Thank you so much for your help.

blessings,
Christine
************************
This is their reply on 11/7 about 1 hour later
************************
Thank you.Neither olive contains vinegar.Both are raw.

With kindness and appreciation,
* * * * * * * * *
Jesse Schwartz,Ph.D
President
Living Tree Community Foods
510 526 7106 ext.12
510 526 9516 fax
jesse@livingtreecommunity.com
http://www.livingtreecommunity.com
*****************************

[exurb]

Samuel back to the salt, I still prefer to use the coarse. I had to buy more today, so I looked carefully at the packages in the store.

The coarse says

Hand harvested
Sun Dried
Certified
Whole Salt
Unprocessed

the fine says only

Hand harvested
Sun Dried
Certified
Whole Salt

(it doesn't say unprocessed)

maybe think about using the coarse for in recipes but the fine if you need something convenient in a salt shaker. What she said to you indicates to me that the fine is heated whereas the coarse is not, hopefully that's accurate information with the temperature. I know how long it takes to dry stuff at 100, so I'm always a little skeptical. For me I just see the coarse as closer to its natural state and more unprocessed so it's my preference...

[rawpriestess]

Exurb:

thank you for saying "thank you" to me, I really appreciate it, and it makes my day, when I learn that someone has actually read something, or used it, or like it, or found my postings helpful.

blessings to you,
Rawprietess

[tvillemom]

I was really wondering about olives. I've never saw them "fresh", always bottled. I'll have to look for them in a plastic jar I guess. Ya'll spend so much time checking our sources....I appreciate that from you all!
Wendi

[Live Free]

Maybe he was having a bad day. Most people hate their jobs no matter what position they are on the corporate ladder.

However, it was still not right to respond in such a manner. Maybe he thought that since they are a living food site that it should be obvious.

I agree that it isnt always obvious if things are all raw or not. It is our right as cusotmers to ask if the item is raw or not, because we are paying a higher price for our food then foods that are not in a raw state.

Which should be the exact opposite because the food has less processing to go through to get the end consumer. Than foods that are heated and bottled, packaged....

I just ran out of the jar of olives that I had. They were awesome, they did say on the jar that it was unheated, unprocessed or whatever. The top of the jar opened easily when I first opened the jar. It had a plastic band around the top of the jar.

I would love to get the olives at a cheaper price. I think I will look for a Costcos up here in NH. Thank you for all the advice.

I have never bought anything from the Living Tree site. Thanks for the heads up.

Teresa and Mae
Live Free