| Olives no longer come only in a can or jar waiting to | | | | Mount Athos green olives with sun-dried tomatoes: |
| be slid onto a child's fingers or dropped into an awaiting | | | | This rich heavy olive is ideal in salads and for snacking. |
| martini. Gourmet olive varieties are widely available and | | | | The intense flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes blends |
| come in an array of flavors. | | | | delightfully with the intense flavor of the olive. |
| Here are ten of the more common varieties of olives | | | | Lucques: This olive is ideal for snacking. The pit is still in |
| and a brief description of each. | | | | tact so care must be taken to not swallow the pit. It is |
| Green olives with herbs de Provence: This vibrant | | | | a pleasure to chew this meaty light buttery olive. |
| citrus flavored olive is a good match with fish and in | | | | Kalamatas: This tangy green to black olive is cured in |
| recipes calling for sweet spices. Herbs de Provence is | | | | red-wine vinegar and is soft but not mushy. Varieties |
| a delightful blend of spices that can be used in every | | | | grown in California are denoted by spelling with a 'c' |
| thing from eggs to soufflé. | | | | rather than a 'k'. Kalamatas are wonderful on pizzas, |
| Nicoises: This earthy rich olive is traditionally used in | | | | with feta or blended with cream cheese and fresh |
| nicoise salad. It is a small black olive cured in red-wine | | | | garlic for a tangy dip. |
| vinegar. | | | | Alfonsos: This robust winey tasting olive is soft and |
| Mount Athos green with Sicilian herbs: This olive packs | | | | similar to the kalamata. It is a popular choice in |
| a punch, it is flavored with rosemary, garlic, mustard | | | | antipasto salads. |
| seed, and red pepper flakes. It is an excellent olive for | | | | Halkidikis: This is a large dried black olive that is mild in |
| use in bruchetta topping, on salads, and in tapenade. | | | | flavor and less salty than some of the other varieties. It |
| Mount Athos green stuffed with garlic: This is the | | | | pairs well with mild sheep's milk cheeses. |
| classic martini olive stuffed with a clove of garlic. It is | | | | Sun-dried olives: This olive is rich and intense in flavor. It |
| pitted then stuffed and perfect for pizzas, snacking, | | | | is used in sauces or can be drizzled with extra virgin |
| and a modern sophisticated martini. | | | | olive oil for a bold snack. |