Long before the canning industry, grocery stores, and martinis were invented, olives have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years. However, only a few types were known to the common person until recently. However, olives are incredibly varied and adaptable, whether they are blended into spreads and tapenades, added to salads, stewed in stews and sauces, poured into martinis, or simply eaten out of hand. Their rich blend of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent flavours makes them a must-have in the kitchen of any home cook. With millennia of cultivation behind them and a role in the repertoire of Mediterranean cuisine, they are also historically significant. Olive trees are among the oldest trees ever harvested by mankind, dating back more than 8,000 years. Olives are now farmed for both their oil and their fruit.
1. Ceriglona
This is a plump, big species that is normally served green but can also be cured black or red (green is firmer than black or red). Cerignola is named after the village of Cerignola in the Italian province of Apulia. It is known for its mild flavour and crispy, buttery texture. It is served with a martini and a glass of Bardolino wine; on a cheeseboard with Parmesan, crusty bread, and salami; and in a stuffing with cheese, anchovies, capers, and garlic.
2. Nyons
Olive connoisseurs adore these soft, somewhat bitter, gently wrinkled black olives cultivated in and around the French city of Nyons. Though they can be difficult to locate and pricy, their juicy, delicate flesh and gently sweet and fruity flavour are worth the quest.
3. Cobrancosa
These medium-sized green olives grow throughout Portugal, although primarily in the north. They have a mild, fruity flavour with a faint spiciness to them. Above all, they are well-known for their delicious quality olive oil. They are, however, also available in whole fruit form and wrapped in brine.
4. Kalamata
The king of Greek table olives, Kalamatas are rich purple in colour, with tight, sharp, lustrous skin and a lovely almond shape. For a distinctive rich, smokey, fruity flavour, they're often kept in red wine vinegar, red wine, and/or olive oil. This kind is ideal for tapenades, but you also enjoy it simply with some roasted cauliflower.
5. Nicoise
The Nicoise olive, as the name suggests, is a French olive. However, it is not a rare variety of olive. To begin, the Nicoise is a form of preparation, and the olive itself is identical to the Ligurian. The fruit is picked when it is mature, giving the Nicoise a dark brown hue. These French olives are then brine-cured and packaged with various herbs and oils. Because of their slightly sweet, smoky, and bitter but tasty flavour, they function best as a table olive.