With so many options available on supermarket shelves, picking out the best local table olives isn’t always easy. Olives are the perfect accompaniment to any dish, and are just as great when enjoyed on their own as a snack. But how do you go about choosing the right table olives for your dish or snacking pleasure? Here are a few tips on picking the best local table olives, so you can truly ‘T.A.S.T.E’ the quality.
T for Taste
Olives are certainly multipurpose and can be used in an array of dishes such as spreads, salads and cocktails. Olive flavours can be bitter, or sweet and/or salty. Once olives have undergone a slow, natural lactic acid fermentation, the flavours should become wonderfully integrated and not taste too acidic.
If you’re having a dinner party, olives are a great table snack, along with biltong, crisps, and crackers. You can pick up a wide range of party snacks online via PriceCheck.
A for Appearance
Table olives should have visual appeal in that they should have a good uniform size and good healthy colour. They should also be quite firm to the touch and not mushy, discoloured or bruised. The skin should be smooth and shiny.
S for Smell
Although the aroma of table olives is not often spoken about, this also plays an important culinary role. Any aroma should be clean and attractive, with any added herbs and spices being just sufficient to add to, rather than overpower, the overall aroma of the olives.
Also read: 5 Tips to Eating Healthy on Any Budget
T for Texture
A good olive will have a firm flesh, but not a rough texture on the palate. The flesh should detach from the pit quite readily. A naturally fermented olive will be microbiologically stable and its texture will be preserved without the need for additional acidity.
E for Experience
Table olives are fantastically diverse and equally versatile so don’t be shy in adding all kinds of olive products to your meals. Whether you are stuffing them, eating them au natural, using olive spreads and olive tapenades, tossing them into salads or plopping them into your martinis, the sweet, sour, salty, bitter and pungent flavours of table olives are an essential ingredient in any home cook’s arsenal. They’re the perfect addition to your feasts. Enjoy the experience!
