BS: Olives in the UK

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: open mike
Date: 23 Apr 08 - 12:53 AM

There are lots of Olives and Olive Oil in California.
Maybe you can get a case of canned olives by mail/?
http://www.calolive.org/

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Apr 08 - 08:21 PM

Ah thanks George.

I just got some right rubbish from Morrisons deli. they taste as though they have little plastic macs on!

So frustrating when you think how they sometimes give you a dish of perfect olicves with your drink for free in Spain.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 22 Apr 08 - 03:37 PM

Al,

You can try the olives here - they are marinated unfortunately, but the ones in oregano & garlic or in herbs of Provence sound OK. In any case, go for the ones WITH the stones, as stoned olives in any marinade can become mushy.

Another option is here - the "straight Kalamata" ones would be OK.

Finally, Jeremy Phillips professes to supply olives in their natural state (presumably in brine or oil).

Happy eating!

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Anne Lister
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 05:17 PM

Not sure that the ex mining villages of south east Wales are a lot more upmarket than those of Notts, but I suppose we have graduated to having a Waitrose in Abergavenny and another in Monmouth ...and the olive man (or one of his tribe) does come to Abergavenny, which has become a "foodie" town.
You might find some good olives via mail order, if all else fails. I'm sure I've seen references to food sites.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 01:28 PM

I can see your connurbations are a bit more upmarket than the ex-mining villages of Notinghamshire (but then, what isn't?).

Round here you'd be a bit sexually suspect for ordering plaice, rather than cod.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Bee
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 12:59 PM

I love those big brown olives, kept in buckets of brine in the local greek stores. No idea what they are called. They are mild and meaty.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: topical tom
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 11:39 AM

I LOVE olives but especially in martinis.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: pdq
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 10:01 AM

Some of the olive trees still producing in Spain and Portugal were planted by the Moors.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 09:58 AM

Besides, it takes decades for a tree to develop good olives.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 09:02 AM

"If global warming continues, in a few years you'll be able to grow olives in the UK."

Sadly, no.

If GW continues, the Gulf Stream will stop sending warmth to Europe & GB (because of the extra fresh water from the Artic killing the natural sinking of the denser cold water), and you will have weather like the same lattitudes in Canada & the USA on the other side of the Atlantic - needing ice breakers to keep the ports open!

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 07:51 AM

try the many continental markets which pop up regularly in towns these days. Even our local weekly market now has an olive man, in amongst the tat stalls, who sells many varieties of olive out of big wooden barrels. You can usually taste before you buy. He also sells nice pesto, marinated peppers, houmous and the like. I've seen him at a few markets in the Midlands.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Anne Lister
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 07:39 AM

Waitrose have some good ones - other than that, try your local market. We found some excellent olives (and feta cheese) being sold by a chap whose own provenance wasn't immediately obvious, although I suspect Greece, Cyprus or somewhere in the eastern Med.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Apr 08 - 03:35 AM

Sainsburys is the source of many odd tasting olives. most of the ones I've tried have been pretty ropey.

i was in an Italian caf the other day, and he had some nice olives. That started me thinking - this bloke must be getting them somewhere. I can see I should have asked.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Escapee
Date: 20 Apr 08 - 10:12 AM

Order a martini.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Apr 08 - 02:44 AM

Sainsbury's delicatessen in the larger stores, sells olives in various guises, including plain, unstuffed.

Most good delicatessens should be able to sell you unpolluted olives.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Riginslinger
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 09:08 PM

I global warming continues, in a few years you'll be able to grow olives in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: bobad
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 08:55 PM

The writing on the storefront is usually a clue.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 07:49 PM

such as...?

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: bobad
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 07:05 PM

If you like black olives try Kalamata olives from Greece, they are very good and commonly found in Greek or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: pdq
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 06:48 PM

People should know that fresh olives are really not edible. They are very bitter. Eating them is about as reasonable as eating green persimons.

To find good olives, check with "ethnic" markets, especially Greek or Italian ones.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 06:30 PM

I like olives in all their presentations but I have an Italian friend who buys only 'Italian olives' in the can. They are smaller and browner and not as meaty, imo, but that's what he likes.

Subject: RE: BS: Olives in the UK
From: pdq
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 05:43 PM

Perhaps you just need to wash them down with (as John Cleese described) British beer: "warm, thin, smelly stuff with various forms of pond life".

Subject: BS: Olives in the UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 05:25 PM

Whats the best way to get olives in England? Edible olives. Most of the things I buy seem to have been marinated in something disgusting or have been stuffed with something that tastes like furniture polish.