ECLECTIC WRITER

A Toast to Olives !

Olive Trees by Vincent Van Gogh

Although the initial image olives conjure up may be a martini cocktail, olives are widely used as ingredients for many different culinary creations like tapenades, sausages, breads; and for more adventurous endeavors such as chocolates and ice cream, made with olive oil.

A typical breakfast of my childhood in Turkey consisted of feta, rose petal jam, crusty bread, tea and a bowl of shimmering, meaty olives cured in olive oil. My mother used olive oil for all her cooking because she said olive oil was healthier than butter or margarine, and it was good for our skin.

Olive trees have been around since ancient times. Their fruit has been used as a source of food and oil, and their branches have been recognized as a peace symbol. In her book, A Modern Herbal, first published in 1931 Maude Grieve states that "... in Scriptural and classical writings the oil is mentioned as a symbol of goodness and purity, and the tree as representing peace and happiness." Besides its wide use in diet, the oil of the oil was burnt in the lamps of sacred temples while the leaves of the olive tree crowned the victors in Olympic games.

It’s not known for certain when olives were first cultivated for harvesting; however, they are now grown in the Mediterranean region, Australia, California and New Zealand. In the Mediterranean region olives are consumed as part of a stable diet as well as a relish, and are used to flavor foods.

My mother was unaware of the scientific reasons for the many benefits of olive oil. She was merely passing on the wisdom of generations of mothers. Today we know that olives are packed with monounsaturated, "good", fat. Ten medium black olives have 50 calories and 4 grams of fat. Green olives are pickled before they are ripened; black olives are pickled after they are ripened. They are pickled or cured with water, brine, oil, salt or lye. The cured olives may be consumed as a relish, stuffed with pimentos, anchovies, almonds, or used in breads, main dishes and salads.

The seed of the olive is also endowed with a non-drying, edible oil with a distinct flavor used in salads and cooking. Although there are various grades of this oil, the finest is the extra virgin olive oil, obtained by cold pressing the seeds without the use of chemical solvents or heat. With less than one percent acidity, it is a delicate, fragrant, greenish oil that should be stored tightly sealed, in a cool place, away from light.

"An olive-oil rich diet is more effective than a low-fat diet in controlling and treating obesity," says Dr. Frank Sacks, Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. " Moreover, it leads to longer-lasting weight loss and it is easier to keep, because it tastes good."

Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that olive oil, due to its high antioxidant factor, is a healthy dietary fat free of cholesterol and high in mono-unsaturated fat. Regular consumption has shown to have a protective effect against risk of some cancers, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and stroke by raising the HDL (good cholesterol) and lowering the LDL (bad cholesterol). However, one should keep in mind that it is still 100 percent fat with 120 calories per tablespoon, so olive oil should be used to replace other fats, not in addition to them.

Finer restaurants have replaced their pre-appetizer bread and butter with bread and dipping oil, as more diners ask for olive oil in their diets. Olive oils infused with herbs, or flavored with fruits and vegetables are easily found in specialty food stores. Shops, like Food for Thought, carry a large variety of olive oils.

There are many kinds of olives as there are olive oils on the market. Olives come in cans, jars, or open olive bins. Supermarkets like Sobey's and Dominion as well as specialty stores offer olive bars with global varieties from around the world which you can mix, or buy in small quantities at a time to test which kind you like the best. Here are the names of a few different types to get to know these precious drupes a little better.

Arbequina (small brown) and Empeltre (medium black) are table olives also valued for their high quality oils.

Kalamata olives, named for a city in Greece, are large and black with smooth skin and meaty flesh.

Manzanilla or Spanish olives are the most available in supermarkets. They're usually pitted and stuffed with pimento and are most often used for martinis.

Niçoise, purplish-black olives, have a distinctive sour flavor that works well in a tapenade and can be substituted by Kalamata olives.

Souri (Syrian) olives are aromatic in flavor and give a high oil yield.

Olive Martini
1 oz dry gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz olive brine
Pour the dry gin, sweet vermouth and olive brine into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a chilled martini glass, and serve.

Niçoise Salad

One of the great classics of Provençal cuisine, Niçoise salad can be found on almost every menu in sunny Nice.
8 small new potatoes
450 grams fresh green beans, parboiled
250 grams mixed salad greens
1 can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 hard boiled eggs, halved
½ cup black (Niçoise) olives
1 (170 gram) can tuna packed in water

Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, smashed with salt to form a paste
Pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic paste, and pepper. Add olive oil while whisking constantly. Arrange salad decoratively on a platter. Drizzle with the dressing.
Serves 2-3

Olive Bread

This is a savory quick bread that is as good with a cup of tea as it is with a bowl soup.

2 large eggs
1 ½ cup coarsely chopped, well-drained green, pimiento stuffed olives
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus additional oil for brushing the pan
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup multi grain or wholewheat flour
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
½ cup milk

In a bowl, beat the eggs until they are frothy and stir in the olives and 3 Tbsp of the olive oil. Into this bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk and stir the mixture until it is just combined.
Brush a 4 ½ inch by 8 ½ inch pan with the additional oil. Transfer batter into the pan and bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and turn unto a rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Tapenade

250 grams pitted mixed olives
1 ½ Tbsp anchovy paste (or 2 filets)
1 small clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons capers
2 to 3 fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Rinse olives in cool water, drain and pat dry. Place rest of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture becomes a coarse paste. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve on crackers or crusty baguette slices. Refrigerate left-over tapenade to use within two weeks.