OLIVES
Olives are available throughout the year, although their harvesting period is set to September each year. Olives are completely inedible when they are fresh and directly off the olive tree because they contain certain bitter compounds that need to be processed. The processing of olives varies, depending on the type of olive and the place they've been harvested. Also, particular type of processing will give olives of different flavor and texture.
The different types of olives have of course different names. Kalamata is a very popular olive, but also the Nicoise, Picholine, and Manzanilla olives are available for your enjoyment. They all taste differently, from sweeter to smokey, and from sour to bitter. Their skin can also look differently - some olives are tensed and other are wrinkled.
The color of olives also depends on a number of factors. Olives on the trees are green and become black when they are allowed to completely ripen. However, the black color can also be generated by exposing the green olives to air for a sufficiently long time. To some degree, the color of olives is also affected by the processing liquids.
From the nutritional point of view, olives are very good for the hemoglobin build up since they contain a great amount of iron. Olives also contain a substantial amount of copper and fibers. The main good compund of olives though is vitamin E - one of the best antioxidants we can eat. Vitamin E is known to give energy to the tired cells, since it attacks the free radicals in the energy-producing factories of our cells. However, as a fat-soluble vitamin it can also enter the fatty plaques in blood vessels and act to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. In short, olives are very good for our cardiovascular system and energy. This is why you often can read about the beneficial effects of a.o. vitamin E in athletics books.
When you buy olives it can be hard to choose from the vast variety of flavors, marinades, and curing liquids in which they usually are immersed. Many olives are pitted and filled with other vegetables or nuts, e.g. peppers, almonds, or garlics. Of course, you should choose the olives that suit your needs and taste. It can be an interesting experience to try all the different jars of olives and find your favorite. Just remember to pick the olives that are unblemished and look intact. They should be kept immersed in their brine/marinade so they don't dry out. Also, keep them in an airtight container to further protect from the loss of water and oxygenation. Olives can usually be kept in their jars for a long time, but once you open the bottle try to use them as soon as you can. This shouldn't be too difiicult since they are very versatile and can be used in salads, fish dishes, meat dishes, pizzas, or eaten as they are.
Olives that still contain their pits can be eaten as they are wherefore a not so fun spitting ritual may follow, but of course they can be pitted beforehand. Just press them down on a cutting board using the flat side of the knife blade. This should mash the flesh so that the pit can be easily removed.