National Olive Day

Celebrate National Olive Day!

Olives, olives everywhere! June 1st marks the celebration of National Olive Day. Let’s take a look at all the different kinds of olives and how you can use them in your cooking.

Different Types of Olives

Have you ever been to the olive bar at your local grocery store? If so, then you know that there are dozens of different types of olives available. From the classic Kalamata or black olive to the sweet and juicy Castelvetrano – there are so many delicious varieties to choose from. Here are some other common types of olives for you to try:

• Picholine – A French variety with a tart taste and firm texture, perfect for snacking or as part of an antipasto platter.
• Manzanilla – This small green Spanish olive is most commonly used as an ingredient in tapenades, salads, and Spanish dishes like paella.
• Nicoise – A favorite among home cooks, these black olives have a rich flavor and meaty texture that pairs well with roasted vegetables, fish dishes, and pasta sauces.
• Gaeta – An Italian variety that adds a unique flavor to salads and pastas.
• Amfissa – Greek olives that have citrus and buttery flavors that are great served as an appetizer on their own or made into olive oil.

What Can You Do With Olives?

Now that you know about all the different types of olives out there, let’s talk about what you can do with them! Olives make great snack foods on their own; just pick your favourite type and pop them into your mouth for a delicious treat. But they’re also incredibly versatile ingredients in recipes. Add pitted olives to pasta sauces for a burst of flavour; top pizzas with halved or sliced olives; mix diced olives into tuna salad; stuff baby bell peppers with feta cheese and chopped olives…the possibilities are endless! Olives really bring any dish they’re added to up a notch so don’t be afraid to experiment!

So don’t let National Olive Day go by without celebrating it properly! Take this day as an opportunity to explore all the different kinds of olives out there as well as get creative in the kitchen by incorporating them into your dishes. Olives may not seem like much but trust us – they’re one ingredient that will take your meals up a level! So happy National Olive Day everyone – let’s get snacking (or cooking)!