"butch burton" > wrote in message
om...
> IIRC lye cured olives are a California thing-picked green and put in a
> lye solution to turn em black and make them softer. Black or ripe
> olives from Greece or Italy are picked ripe and then submerged in a
> water or oil solution to be "cured".

You don't have the correct information. California Ripe Olive process olives
(these are the ones that are canned) are indeed lye processed but not
necessarily as much as other types of processing. They are picked green but
they are ripe at that time. Further ripening on the tree until they turn
black would not allow for the proper processing by the California Ripe Olive
process. During processing the green ripe olives turn black not because of
the lye but, rather, oxygenation. Using the California Ripe Olive process,
olives are not cured or preserved by pickling. This is the only process that
does not cure or preserve by pickling (usually salt or oil). California Ripe
Olives are preserved only by the canning process. Whether or not you like
California Ripe Olives is a different matter. ;-)

Charlie

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in message link.net>...
> "butch burton" > wrote in message
> om...
> > IIRC lye cured olives are a California thing-picked green and put in a
> > lye solution to turn em black and make them softer. Black or ripe
> > olives from Greece or Italy are picked ripe and then submerged in a
> > water or oil solution to be "cured".
>
> You don't have the correct information. California Ripe Olive process olives
> (these are the ones that are canned) are indeed lye processed but not
> necessarily as much as other types of processing. They are picked green but
> they are ripe at that time. Further ripening on the tree until they turn
> black would not allow for the proper processing by the California Ripe Olive
> process. During processing the green ripe olives turn black not because of
> the lye but, rather, oxygenation. Using the California Ripe Olive process,
> olives are not cured or preserved by pickling. This is the only process that
> does not cure or preserve by pickling (usually salt or oil). California Ripe
> Olives are preserved only by the canning process. Whether or not you like
> California Ripe Olives is a different matter. ;-)
>
> Charlie

Thanks for the info-so even though they are green in color they are
still ripe. Yes you are correct-I find them tasteless but hey
everyone has their own taste appreciation profiles.

Interestingly enough the batch of black/ripe Kalamata olives I bought
this week were not nearly as good as the batch from last week-same
store-guess it was a different drum. Course the vegetable/fruit
producers in CA have the whole process down pat-no variability.

"butch burton" > wrote in message
om...
>
> Interestingly enough the batch of black/ripe Kalamata olives I bought
> this week were not nearly as good as the batch from last week-same
> store-guess it was a different drum. Course the vegetable/fruit
> producers in CA have the whole process down pat-no variability.

I too have found that the Kalamata olives I've gotten lately have been not
so good. Maybe it was a bad year or something. California Ripe olives can
indeed be manipulated somewhat but if they are picked too early or too late
the process doesn't produce a good product. Some canners don't care to spend
the money to get the best olives and to take the effort needed to watch the
processing. Lindsay Ripe Olive Co. was the best. It has been bought out
moved north and now produces crap olives. Same thing with Old California. I
now buy Oberti which used to be the worst. <shrug> A victory for
Multinational Agri-Business.

On the otherhand, some small California businesses are producing some
excellent European style olives and specialties. Seriously yummy!

Charlie

OB FOOD: These use any kind of black olive. I've used Ca. Ripe black olives.

HOT OLIVE CHEESE PUFFS


Recipe by: Katherine Rives Albitz


1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (120 g)
3 tbs. butter, softened (50 g)
1/2 cup flour (50 g)
1/4 tsp. salt (1 ml)
1/2 tsp. paprika (2.5 ml)
15 olives (approximately)


Blend cheese with butter. Add flour, salt, and paprika and blend well. Dry
olives. Wrap a spoonful of dough around each and seal well. Bake at 400F
(200C) for 15 minutes.