Author: David Chandler


The Olive tree dates back to early ancient times in both
biblical and classical writings. In these early writings, the
olive oil is referenced as a symbol of both goodness and purity,
and the tree represents peace and happiness. In ancient times,
the oil was also burnt in sacred lamps at temples during the
Olympic Games, and the victor was crowned with its leaves.

Olives have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Asia
Minor. Today olives are commercially produced in Spain, Italy,
France, Greece, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Portugal, China,
Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Angola, South Africa, Uruguay,
Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand, and California. The
Mediterranean area produces 93% of the olive production.
Currently there are some 800 million olive trees being
cultivated. California is the only state where olives are grown
commercially. Over 90% of the olive production is used to make
olive oil.

The Olive tree is considered an evergreen tree. These trees can
live to be over 2,000 years old. They grow 20-40 feet high and
begin to bear fruit between 4 and 8 years old. The tree blooms
with small whitish flowers and have a wonderful fragrant.

A Franciscan missionary planted the first olive tree in
California in 1769 at a Franciscan mission in San Diego. The
olives grown in California are called ¡°mission olives¡±. Of all
the species of olives, this olive is especially good for its oil.

Olives are not edible, green, or ripe, and must be treated with
lye and/or cured in brine or dry salt before being edible. They
contain about 20% oil. Olives must be processed to remove the
bitter glycoside oleuropein, before they are edible, so they are
usually first treated with lye and then pickled.

Greek olives are not treated with lye. They are strong tasting
because they are just packed in dry salt, or pickled in brine
for 6 to 12 months (where they undergo a process of lactic
fermentation), and finally packed in fresh brine.

Spanish green olives are picked before they are ripe, treated
with lye, and then placed in a brine and allowed to ferment.

California olives are treated to set the pigment, treated with
lye and then packed immediately in brine and sterilized. They do
not undergo the fermentation process, and the sterilization
'cooks' them. This lack of fermentation and the 'cooking' when
they are sterilized produces a bland, uninteresting olive

Ten medium size black olives have 50 calories and 4 grams of
fat.

For more information, visit http://www.olivegardenguide.com