Olives are mainly grown in Tunisia, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey, mostly in so-called olive groves. These are gardens full of olive trees, some of which are around 1000 years old. The colour of young olives is green, and the darker they are, the riper they are. In between, however, all colours are possible: from yellow, light and dark brown to purple. Not only do they look pretty, but their inner values are particularly impressive: olives have vitamins A and E as well as magnesium, potassium and sodium and a good fatty acid profile thanks to monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols.
Olives are grown either for direct consumption, i.e. as table olives, or for oil production. But which olive is suitable for what? This is determined by the flavour profile of the olive. Certain Tunisian olive varieties are dark olive-coloured and not suitable for oil production as they are too bitter. To remove the bitter substances, the olives are first soaked in brine and then in vinegar. They are then stored in either brine or oil until they find their way onto your plate or into your martini glass.
Olive oil is an essential ingredient in every kitchen – especially in the Mediterranean. But how do you get the oil? The olives are washed and blended into a paste, including the pits. They are not separated according to their colour and therefore their degree of ripeness, but the oil is pressed from olives of all ripeness levels. The pulp ferments briefly in oxygen before the light green oil is pressed out of it.
As olive oil does not like light, oxygen or heat, it is stored in canisters, green or amber glass so that less sunlight hits the oil. So if you store it sealed in a less sunny place, you have already protected it from two culprits. Incidentally, olive oil also contains its very own preservatives, polyphenols. The higher the concentration of polyphenols, the less quickly it goes rancid. And what about heat? Olive oil has a smoke point of 180 degrees Celsius. This means that it should ideally not be heated above this temperature, otherwise it will start to form smoke. At this point, the content of vitamins and minerals can decrease. Of course, you can still cook all kinds of tasty treats with olive oil, just not too hot, as otherwise the health-promoting fatty acids will be destroyed. Instead, fry with rapeseed oil and use your olive oil for flavouring, or pour it over cold dishes such as salads.
