Olives Smell, Taste, & Texture
Olives, Tips & FactsSmell
A well-prepared olive has a clean acceptable aroma. The aroma will give a good indication of how the processing was managed as most of the volatile components are a result of the fermentation process. In the absence of any fermentation, the aroma is usually that of the added ingredients, like garlic, herbs and various other flavourings.
An off-fermentation will be noticeable on the nose, and any off-odour is totally unacceptable in quality table olives.
Taste
The taste and flavour of a food product is generally rather subjective it depends on what one is accustomed to. When wine is consumed, the trend is often for non-wine drinkers to start with a sweeter wine, and then to progress to the more dry products. In the table olive sphere, the consumer not accustomed to olives, usually prefers a more bland product. Once hooked on these little delicacies, the consumer then seeks out products with a lot more flavour, the natural olive flavour in particular.
Texture / Tactile
An olive should have a degree of firmness in the flesh, without being tough or woody. The skin of the fruit should not be too tough, and the flesh should detach from the pit quite readily.
The texture of an olive is determined by numerous factors, the most important of which are fruit ripeness when harvested, and cultivar. The methods of processing will then play an equally important role, which can either maintain the texture of the fruit or compromise it.
Do olives picked fresh from the trees taste different? I’ve only tasted olives from cans or jars. Can you eat raw olives?
Hi Dave
Yes absolutely! The oleocanthol in the olive will cause the olive to be quite bitter when tasting. This makes the olive inedible even to animals! See below what Oleocanthal is:
Oleocanthal is a natural organic compound isolated from extra virgin olive oil. It is responsible for the slightly peppery “bite” of extra virgin olive oil. Oleocanthal is an tyrosol ester and its chemical structure is related to oleuropein that is also found in olive oil.
Oleocanthal has been found to be have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Similar to classical NSAIDs, it is a non-selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX). It is suggested that long-term consumption of small quantities of oleocanthal from olive oil may be responsible in part for the low incidence of heart disease associated with a Mediterranean diet.
50g of olive oil per day is thought to have the same effect as 1/10 of the adult ibuprofen dose
Learn the recipe for curing your own olives at home on http://www.goedgedachtfoods.co.za/recipes/curing-your-own-olives/
The amazing little blueberry has emerged as nature’s number one source of antioxidants among fresh fruits and vegetables.
Olive oil is very tasty and has some nutty taste too.”‘”
Olive oil is very tasty and it has very low saturated fats.-’:
olive oil is a great additive on foods since it has low saturated fat~*`