OLIVES

No 2: large, black, fully ripe olives (throumpes ). They were cured in coarse sea salt (400 gr of salt for 1 kg freshly harvested olives) for 20 days. Now they are almost ready for eating, however I am going to wash, drain and cover them with a mixture of lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar and olive oil, in equal proportions. A small branch of fresh rosemary and some orange peel will add extra flavor.

No 3 olives, are prepared according to a recipe given by Florentinus, a writer of the early 3rd century aD, (preserved in the Geoponica of Cassianus Vassus, 8. 29). I used 2 k. medium, firm, fleshy black olives. After washing and draining, I placed them in a large bowl. Then I added 240 gr salt and 200 gr olive oil and I gave a kind stir. I pushed the olives into jars and covered them with oxymeli. Branches of wild fennel and a heavy circle – shaped plate held them below the oxymeli surface. Extraordinary taste.

For oxymeli, I mixed 1 part wine vinegar, 2 parts honey (I used Strawberry tree ‘bitter’ honey) and four parts water. I brought to boil and simmered to reduce to 1/3 of it. Depending on preference, more vinegar can be added to the mixture. (Orivasius IV, 144)