So many grocery stores now have olive bars, with big barrels full of olives sold in bulk. They are great when you want a mix to serve as appetizers, and although some people get squeamish about germs (yes, we've seen people use their fingers), we don't tend to.
Recently, though, we picked up a container of pre-packaged, Kalamata olives at a store that didn't have an olive bar. These weren't canned or jarred olives, just bulk olives that had been portioned out and packaged in a plastic tub.
At first, we were annoyed that we were paying for more than we needed. Then we tasted them, and they were the best olives we ever had. Could it be because they weren't sitting out in an olive bar all day?
We used our olives in this Orange, Olive, and Fennel Salad, and we almost ate them all before we finished making the salad. The package didn't say anything special... Just your basic Kalamata olive.
We've never looked into how long olives sit in olive bars or if they lose some oomph by being exposed. We assume, being cured, that they are becoming mellower while sitting in those buckets. This olive primer from Whole Foods says the longer olives are cured, the more complex their flavor.
The pre-packaged ones we bought (from Westside Market, for the record) were juicier and fruitier than any we've had. Maybe they were younger?
Has anyone else experienced this? What is your opinion on olive bars vs. pre-packaged olives?
(Image: Fresh Direct)
I've seen one too many people stick their hands in the olive/salad bar trays for a quick taste to ever buy anything from them. Pre-packaged all the way!
view snickitysnack's profile
i've never liked pre-packaged olives, except for the "regular" black & green ones in cans. To me the olives in plastic containers are super soggy and take on a weird, sweet, plasticky taste. Maybe that's the "juicy, fruity" taste you're talking about but personally I prefer harder, saltier olives.
view leanne's profile
I am lucky enough to live 2 blocks away from a Greek hamburger/gyro joint/Greek grocery store that actually sells various olives and feta like a dairy counter would, by the pound! Their prices are better than the local grocery store. I never would have known they had these things, had I not gone in one day for a gyro... so my advice is to seek out unexpected places for olives!
view Darby's profile
I eat a lot of olives. I have bought olives from the olive bar at whole foods, but I found them to be tasteless and I do worry about them be out in the open day after day. Lately, I have been sticking to buying them in jars at Trader Joe's where they are much cheaper.
view saradanger's profile
TJs or the ethnic foods market like the deli above, where they scoop it out for you.
view kaanswfm's profile
East Village Cheeses sells really good olives-- and they scoop them out for you, so no need to worry about who's been dipping their fingers into the container. They're quite reasonable as well-- $4.99/lb for pitted kalamata olives, I believe.
view as3087's profile
I'll buy olives from the olive bar at my local italian grocer, but not at the big box stores. The smell is terrible!
view revolution9's profile