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