Byzantine Pitted Olive Mix, Country, 5 Pound

I personally love olives - to snack on and to cook with. I am however not an olive expert or connoisseur. I just know what I like/don't like :) I found these while searching for a possible way to buy them in "bulk" and save some $$ while still getting a good product. Here in my area this type of mix is anywhere from $7.99 - $9.99 a pound at the grocery store "olive bar" and even more expensive at a gourmet/high-end grocery store. When I purchased these on Amazon they were $33.20 for 5 pounds with free amazon prime shipping ... which is about $6.64 a pound. Currently they are also available for subscribe and save which gives another 15% off with every delivery and that brings the cost down even more. To me, the flavor & mix is comparable to what I get at the olive bar. I personally did find them a bit too salty for my liking so I took the advice of another reviewer here and made a "low salt" brine (sea salt, white vinegar, water, and a touch of sugar) and used that when I re-packaged the olives for storage. I tried some 48 hours after they had been in the new brine and already the saltiness was greatly reduced and they tasted very good to me. I stored some in sterilized mason jars with brine for the fridge, some in vacuum sealed bags in brine for the fridge and I also stored some without brine in vacuum sealed bags for the deep freezer (another reviewer said that olives store well in the freezer & maintain their texture and flavor after being frozen). The texture of the olives does vary between types of olives in the mix ... some are very firm and some are softer. I have not come across any yet that were complete mush. My bag was delivered with maybe a cup or so of the original brine in it to keep the olives moist. I also have not come across any pits yet but with any pitted olives you still have to watch our for the potential of a stray pit. I do hope that Amazon continues to carry these and that they don't make a huge price jump in the future. If the product quality remains high and the price remains low, I will continue to purchase these and also recommend these to other olive lovers to try.

> Approximately 1 gallon of delicious olives, and lots of them, simply processed, without excess favorings. No hot peppers, no excess garlic.> The packaging (into a heavy plastic bag) apparently consisted of draining the olives and then coating them with olive oil.SUGGESTIONS> The olives are salty. You may be tempted to soak them in plain water to reduce the salt content. Unless you plan to eat the olives in the next few hours, resist the temptation. First, you'll leach out too much salt and flavor. Second, the olives will rot in a few weeks. Really.> I suggest gently rinsing the olives with warm water in a large bowl when you receive them, and repackaging them in your own light brine and white vinegar mix (and jars), and refrigerate. The light brine will reduce the saltiness of the olives to an appropriate level in a day or two. It will take about 5 cups of water, about 1/4 cup of salt, and 1/3 cup of white vinegar to your taste. It is best to use "sea-salt" or pickling salt, because brine made from regular processed salt can get cloudy. You'll need two 1-gallon jars or (safer) four 1/2-gallon jars.> Surprisingly, 1 tablespoon of sugar takes the sharp edge off the vinegar and olive bitterness without being noticeable as "sweet". Regular sugar will cause the brine to be cloudy. I assume that raw sugar (haven't tried it yet) will not be cloudy.> I usually use white vinegar, but apple vinegar and sugar alters the flavor to that of Andalusian olives.> About 2 red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers cut into 1" squares or 1/2" strips, adds a lot of color and flavor, and are very tasty themselves (after a day or two of pickling). Add a few capers and you have better version of what Amazon sells as "Byzantine antipasto mix". A roughly diced onion (or a handful of "cocktail onions") makes a good addition. That will increase the volume, so you may need more jars.> Make up your vinegar/brine mix in a 4-cup measuring cup. Pack the rinsed olives into the jars. Pour the brine into the jars, add extra water as needed to cover the olives. If you try to do it some other way, the sweet peppers or other light components will "float" to the top.> Refrigerate the jars of repackaged olives.> It is best to wash your measuring cup, jars and caps (and any other utensils) in your dishwaster just before packing the olives into them. The heat and detergent sterilizes the jars and utensils. The olives will keep longer (at least 3-4 months) if packed reasonably sterile. Jars of "store bought" olives often also "go bad" within a month after being opened. I've eaten quite a few olives "going bad" and never gotten sick--they just don't taste as good. I've had only one batch of my repackaged olives out of maybe 20 or 30 go bad--and that was when I reused a jar without washing it. Repackage them well, and they'll last at least several months.SOFT OLIVES?Some of the olives are firm, some are soft---that's simply the nature of a true mix. Most Americans (like myself), raised on pimento-stuffed queen olives think that they don't like soft olives. Indeed, mushy queen olives are yucky (because they've started rotting). However, some types of olives are meant to be soft, and are best soft. It is an acquired taste, worth acquiring. The mix includes a large variety of olives, both firm and soft. It is said that the key to oriental cuisine is variety---a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. The same is true of an olive mix meant for snacking or as the basis of a light meal.RECOMMENDATIONS> I also recommend the unpitted version Byzantine Country Olives, 5 Pound, which have a fuller nuttier flavor> I also recommend the "antipasto mix" which has a great flavor Byzantine Pitted Olive Mix, Antipasto, 2 CountOTHER SUGGESTIONS> A half-can of chick-peas, a diced tomato, a half-cup of these mixed olives, all mixed together with a little olive oil is a wonderful, tasty, health, lunch.> There is a whole world of olives out their worth exploring. As just example, Grabers Ripe Green Olives are more different from stuffed queen olives than you can imagine, but are marvelous. Mild and nutty. Graber Olives Size 14 7.5 oz. Can> Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

I keep olives on hand for snacks and for suppers of cheese, crackers, olives, and hot chocolate. I’ve tried other blends but keep coming back to these. I transfer them to a gallon jar for the fridge. They keep well but don’t last long in our house, because they are a favorite snack. Will continue to buy these.