Olives – A Mediterranean Dieters Friend

Olives are at the core of a good Mediterranean Diet.  Not only are they used in the production of Olive Oil, which is the only oil we use for cooking and intensifying meals, but they are a perfect snack or for adding to recipes.  Olives come in many shapes, sizes and taste, and today we’ll take a look at a few varieties we handled at our shop.  We’ll also provide a link as to where you can purchase them as some can be hard to find.

Castelvetrano:  A bright green, mostly found in Sicily great for snacking. Buttery, rich and perfect with a glass of wine.

Green Cerignola: From Puglia, this meaty, mild olive is sometimes sold with a deep red color, which is a food coloring.  Perfect as an appetizer.

Picholine:  Picholine are small green olives that have a very “meaty” texture and refreshing taste.

Nicoise: Probably the most famous of the French olives is the Nicoise.  Serve these small authentic Provencal olives along with cheeses, in appetizer trays, in salads, or to garnish chicken, fish and meat dishes.

Click Here for a other Olives and Olive Products

I always keep a supply of olives handy and find them to be a great mid-day snack.  I also like to combine pitted Kalamata olives with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olive Oil to mix with a fresh pasta.

Enjoy!