Do you ever feel that you want to cook something delicious but don’t have the time? Or fancy a quick snack which is healthy without being dull? Whether you’re looking for that miracle ingredient for tasty fast food, or a little something to enjoy with a glass of white wine, our olives are the answer.
Olives have been grown around the shores of the Mediterranean for thousands of years. No, wait. There are individual olive trees that have been growing for a thousand years or more. If you plant one, you can expect to wait fifteen years before you pick your first olive, but then you’ll be harvesting them for the rest of your life, and your children for theirs, and your grandchildren… You get the picture.
The olive tree doesn’t like to be hurried. The fruit (yes, that’s what they are) mature slowly over the long Mediterranean summer, and only become fully ripe late in the autumn. But once harvested, and marinated in one of our delicious blends, the olive is transformed into the world’s most versatile ingredient – just the thing for busy 21st century lifestyles.
Say you’re home after a long day, or you’ve invited friends over last-minute. You want to make something quick, but tasty and nutritious too. So put on some pasta, and while it’s cooking whip up a little puttanesca sauce. Exactly what you add is up to you, but you can’t go wrong with our delicious Organic Kalamata olives, capers, parsley, fresh tomatoes, garlic and a fresh red chilli. Chop. Combine. Add to pasta. Dinner is served.
And if that’s too much like hard work, just open a deli pot of our Organic Wild Garlic and Basil olives and combine with capers and chopped tomatoes. Or if it’s been a really long day, forget the pasta and reach for our Organic Athina blend of olives, feta and sun-dried tomatoes: simply tip in a bowl and enjoy with a slice of nice crusty bread.
And by ‘enjoy’ we mean in every sense. Olives don’t just taste good, they are good. All those years of slow growth and all those months of ripening fill the fruit of the olive tree with health-giving qualities. They’re rich in oils, minerals and vitamins A, B, E and K. Without getting too technical, they also contain essential omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. OK, that is a bit technical, but how about this? Sixteen olives equals one of your 5 a day.
There aren’t many nibbles you can enjoy with a glass of wine, and know that they’re doing you good. Besides, a lovely, heaped bowl of glossy dark olives is a pleasure to behold – a visual treat for cocktail guests as well as a savoury delight.
The deliciously distinctive flavour of olives makes them not just an ideal stand-alone snack and quick-fix dinner, but also an ingredient that can add zip and zing to everything from salads to roast chicken – or even roast potatoes. For some gorgeous, and more unusual olive-based treats, have a look at the recipes page.