When looking for table olives to use as ingredients for dishes or
appetizers, consider buying kalamata. Not your usual green or black
olive, kalamata has a deep black-purple hue similar to the colour of
an eggplant. It is considered a superior olive variety because of its
rich flavour, sweetness, unique colour and meaty flesh.
Like most olives, this variety thrives well in countries with sub
tropical climates like Greece, Turkey and certain parts of the US and
Australia.
Selection and harvest
The ripe fruits must be handpicked to ensure:
* maturity
* reasonable firmness
* fine appearance without damage or bruise
Squeeze test
The fruit is squeezed using the thumb and forefinger to check if some
fluid is readily secreted at the stem end. If it does, then the fruit
is considered mature and ready for processing.
Washing and debittering
The fruits are immediately washed and cleaned using cool water
treatment to remove dirt, debris and some of the bitter principles.
Brining
After cleaning, the fruits are brined in a salt water solution for
months. This process changes the colour from a deep purple to dark
brown or black. The brine is monitored closely and changed every two
weeks. Towards the end of the brining process, vinegar may be added to
the solution to increase the acidity of the fruits and to add some
flavour.
These may also be split before brining to allow the brine to penetrate
the flesh and stuffed with spices like garlic and peppers to add
flavour.
Health benefits
Health experts recommend improving one’s diet by adding the
olive. Kalamata is a rich source of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat
and tyrosol, an antioxidant, both of which prevent the following
diseases:
* Coronary heart disease
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Hypertension
* Diabetes
* Colon cancer
Recent studies also reveal the following benefits:
* Protection against cell damage: this is due to the
anti-inflammatory properties of tyrosol, a polyphenol that
naturally occurs in olives.
* Aid in weight loss: Better than consuming a low fat diet, the
oleic acid has the effect of sating the appetite so that you eat
less and makes a good partner in keeping the weight off
permanently.
The dinner table comes alive with this fleshy, fruity and colourful
olive. Kalamata tastes great marinated in a little olive oil and
garlic and can be eaten on its own, stuffed, or sliced and added to
dishes. Chop it finely and mix it with olive oil for a great tasting
tapenade, a popular Mediterranean spread for breads.