On the 6th July (refer RTBG and olives) I tipped a pile of black olives into a pillow case, poured in a lot of salt, massaged it then hung the load underneath my house.
On the 26 August, 51 days later, I soaked/washed the slightly shrivelled olives to remove the excess salt – after struggling with a salted rope and salted bag that were stiff with crystallisation.
Marvellous what running water can do to loosen that effect!
I ate a few – all the bitterness was gone and they were extremely tasty.
Nevertheless and rather than eating them all now, I have stored these olives in jars, filled to the brim with olive oil, and labelled them.
I will store them beneath my house, out of sight and mind, so I won’t be tempted to gorge on them.
Why wait for two years? The reason is that, from my experience of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Garden Food Garden Coordinator Adam’s two year olives, I know there is not a more delectable way to eat them. I am fortunate to have been given a small jar of these wonders.
Liquid gold melting in the mouth after that ageing. Last year I preserved a small quantity and this time next year there will be a tasting of those aged olives. A treat to be looked forward to! Hopefully.
Tasmanian Discoveries 