By Carolina GrahamÂ
Olives And Olive OilÂ
In Greece, one of the most popular foods was and is olives and olive oil. In Greece, in total about 17.3 hundred pounds of olives are produced each year. The Greeks had many different uses for the olive tree. Some of them were medical uses, cooking, and they sold them.
The medical uses for olive leaves are: the leaves are said to have a calming effect and to help when people that are hurt and wound up. They are also good for making people go to sleep. The Greeks used olive leaves in their medical practices. They also ate them because they helped their immune system. In the past, the Greeks also used the fruit of the olive tree for a lot of things. The fruit of the tree was used for cooking. When done can be used in many recipes in Mediterranean cooking. It is a very important vegetable oil to the Greeks food. The wood of the olive tree is very hard and is often used to make furniture and articles of everyday uses. The olive tree/its fruit had a respectable history and is frequently mentioned in the Bible. The olive tree was cultivated on the island of Crete as early as 3500 BC. Around 9th century BC, the Greeks considered the olive sacred to the goddess Athena. Today the olive branch is still used as a symbol of peace and plenty. The olive tree/its fruit had a respectable history and is frequently mentioned in the Bible. The olive tree was cultivated on the island of Crete as early as 3500 BC. Around 9th century BC, the Greeks considered the olive sacred to the goddess Athena. Today the olive branch is still used as a symbol of peace and plenty.
How the olives are harvested Fresh unprocessed olives are inedible because of their extreme bitterness. To eliminate this bitterness, olives are treated using the Greek, Spanish, or American method. Then the olives are exposed to air to restore their dark color. After that, they are repacked in fresh brine ( salt and water solution) for commercial distribution. American method of eliminating bitterness of olives- Olives are harvested while immature, then soaked in a lye solution. Lye is a strongly alkaline solution, made primarily of potassium hydroxide and used for washing or cleansing to neutralize the oleuropein. The natural substance responsible for fruit's bitterness Greek method of eliminating bitterness of olives- The fruits are allowed to mature fully before harvesting. Then are immersed in a concentrated brine (water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt) solution.They ferment for up to six months. That is how the Greeks harvested their olives.