What Are Olives Good For?

One of the most-frequently asked questions in regard to olives is the difference between black and green. Green olives are picked before they’re ripe, and black olives are generally picked at peak ripeness. Since most are eaten before being cured (salted, pickled, or soaked in brine, oil, water, or in a strong alkali solution) the texture and color depends on the length of time they’re cured, while the taste depends on the ingredients, method, and variety. And there are a lot of varieties – seven at least in the U.S. – mostly grown in California. Greek Kalamata olives are one of the best-known varieties worldwide.

It’s the pit at the center that makes an olive a “drupe” and places them in the fruit category. Native to Mediterranean regions, short, gnarled olive trees can live for hundreds of years, especially in rocky mountainous areas like Spain…