Olives101.com

By Mel White, One of the first things I noticed when I moved into my apartment here in Chula Vista, California-a few miles south of San Diego-was the fine old olive trees growing among the landscaped shrubbery and lawns of the neighborhood. “They’re Mission olives,” an old-time resident of the city told me, “refugees from […]

By Evie Barkin, The difference between green and black olives lies in their ripeness. Green olives are picked while unripe, which makes them denser and more bitter than brown or black olives, which stay on the tree until fully ripened. All olives have to be cured. They cannot be eaten right off the trees. Olive […]

By Peter Fimrite, It was thumbs up for wind in Marin on Tuesday, when county supervisors unanimously approved a proposal to build a windmill to power an olive ranch owned by a former newspaperwoman. The decision came after 3 1/2 years of stormy debate, but Nan Tucker McEvoy, the former chair of the board of […]

By Abigail Leichman, Pic Peter Monses, Fruit of distinction: Olives come from six continents, and their preparation and flavors are a reflection of that diversity. The gleaming white bowl filled with five varieties of olives is a still life in greens, reds and purples. There is a scattering of acidic pepperoncini and chili peppers to […]

By Ben Brown, Mendocino County’s burgeoning olive industry will be the hardest hit by last weekend’s cold snap, said Mendocino County Agricultural Commissioner Dave Bengston. “It’s been a long time since we had temperatures this low,” Bengston said. Unlike grapes and pears, which are dormant this time of year, olive trees are evergreen and more […]