Thank God, right before they all went funky and shriveled from the cold, Elise and I were able to grab the last of the olives. Apparently the bulk of the olives had been plucked by smarter more experienced olive pickers.I love olives, adore them in fact. Their salty briney meat is just so delicious, so it makes sense that I've been wanting to attempt to cure them.
However, I didn't anticipate that picking them would be so much fun. All bundled up, fighting the freezing wind, we all started to climb trees in ways we hadn't since we were children. Scrambling up the trees, trying to balance ourselves, and reaching in every way and position to grab those olives that any yoga teacher would be proud. We did have to snap a branch or two off, but we saw it as a well needed pruning rather than destruction of public property and a local park.
Now they'll be covered with heavy layers of rock salt in an old pillow case so they can brine and cure. In a few weeks we'll have olives ready for the eating. Maybe I'll marinate some with some lemon peel and red pepper flakes in olive oil. Have any of you had any experience curing olives or marinating them or whatnot?
oh sounds like it was a treat of a time. When the local olive season opens I am going to go get some and have a go at curing my own, so I look forward to reading your results :D
ReplyDeleteHi, I do not have experience curing olives...They look soo succulent. Where did you go olive picking?
ReplyDeleteDid you pick in that park off Manzanita? There are tons of olives there. And yes, you are late in the season. I got my batch of black olives almost a month ago. I should check to see if they're ripening...Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteNext year you should come with me and we can pick olives in a more civilized fashion: Standing on the ground literally collecting the low-hanging fruit!
Looks like you had a great time! my husband loves experimenting with diff olives, and lately he's discovered some in trader Joe's and our grocery bill is on the rise!:)
ReplyDeleteHave a great New Year!
Wow, you picked your own olives- that's so cool! I didn't think they'd be growing this time of year but then again, I have no idea what your sacramento winters are like.
ReplyDeleteI adore olives- I wish they grew here.
I love olive's color! It is rather unfortunate that they do not grow in the country from where I am from,although my Mother use olive oil a lot.
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