A fruit from the olive tree, native of the Mediterranean. Olives are harvested and preserved in oil or brine at various stages of development. The early olives are green, while the later, more mature olives are black. Black olives are picked ripe and are full flavoured and mellow, while green are picked immature and are firm and tangy. They are often pickled.
Use: The fleshy pulp of the fruit is the source of olive oil. They are used in sauces, stuffings, salads, as well as for garnishes. And they add flavour to Mediterranean stews. Olives have and interesting salty flavour which compliment aperitifs and they are great when served alone or with chunks of Greek feta cheese.