# What are your favourite olives?



## buckytom (May 13, 2013)

what kind of olives do you enjoy?

i'm partial to spanish queens stuffed with pimiento, and un-pitted kalamatas.

what's your's?


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## merstar (May 13, 2013)

I love kalamata olives - both pitted and unpitted. I usually use the unpitted to make tapenade.


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## Whiskadoodle (May 13, 2013)

Truthfully, I used to be partial to martini olives.  Until I developed a later in life allergy to that wee drop of vermouth, then I discovered the same olives with pimento sliced and diced and mixed with cream cheese and served on pumpernickel bagels.  Those were pretty good, until I discovered my waist-size expanding too much.  

Now-a-days,  I try to stick to Kalamata and mediterranian types.  Much Safer.  I love that several grocers have an olive bar, and one can try different varieties or mix and match.  


We serve California black olives on holiday relish trays, and there are several casserole type dishes these get sliced and added to. 

I Really need to go to bed.  I drank too much soda pop today and have the insomnia.


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## Aunt Bea (May 13, 2013)

I grew up with Bell-View pitted black olives in a can!

They come in various sizes and are perfect for wearing on the tips of your fingers!

Teaching the new kids at the table how to wear them is one of the best holiday traditions in our family! 

I guess you can tell I am not a gourmet!


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## merstar (May 13, 2013)

Whiskadoodle said:


> Truthfully, I used to be partial to martini olives.  Until I developed a later in life allergy to that wee drop of vermouth, then I discovered the same olives with pimento sliced and diced and mixed with cream cheese and served on pumpernickel bagels.  Those were pretty good, until I discovered my waist-size expanding too much.



Thanks for the inspiration - I just made a cream cheese spread with chopped pimiento-stuffed olives, some olive brine, and a little hot sauce. Delicious! 

I miss pumpernickel bagels - I used to buy them when I lived in NY and FL, but can't find them here in NC. I can't even find good pumpernickel bread, my favorite.


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## letscook (May 13, 2013)

Haven't found an olive I didn't like
Been eating a lot of garlic stuffed green olives. . Found them at a BJ wholesale club


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## Hoot (May 13, 2013)

Pumpernickel bagels! Great stuff!
I like all manner of olives as well.


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## Rocklobster (May 13, 2013)

I like the little dried Turkish ones, but will eat just about any kind. I used to get the ones stuffed with anchovies but can't find them any more. A lot of times I just get the mixed olive blend so I can have as many kinds at the same time. We carry a line of stuffed olives at the deli called Olive It. There are over a dozen varieties from blue cheese stuffed to Habanero. I have tried every kind and they are all good.


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## CraigC (May 13, 2013)

Don't think I've tried an olive, brine cured or oil cured, that I haven't liked.


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## FrankZ (May 13, 2013)

Oddly I have never liked eating olives but I like a good olive oil.


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## pacanis (May 13, 2013)

I like any olive I have tried, but I can't say I'd try the olives Rock posted...
It's that whole, I've gotta like the looks of what I'm putting in my mouth thing 
But I buy Kalamattas the most frequently.


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## lyndalou (May 13, 2013)

Like them all.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 13, 2013)

There's people who don't like olives?


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## Steve Kroll (May 13, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> There's people who don't like olives?


I think I fit in that category. Oh, sure, I have no problem popping an olive into my mouth and eating it. And I like olives in or on top of things. They don't repulse me. But I don't really go out of my way to eat them by themselves, and I certainly don't crave them. I think it has more to do with the amount of salt they contain. I'm not into pretzels or most chips for the same reason.


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## Steve Kroll (May 13, 2013)

By the way, BT... what's up with the Canadian/Australian/English spelling of favourite with the superfluous "U"?

Are you going colonial on us, lol?


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 13, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> I think I fit in that category. Oh, sure, I have no problem popping an olive into my mouth and eating it. And I like olives in or on top of things. They don't repulse me. But I don't really go out of my way to eat them by themselves, and I certainly don't crave them. I think it has more to do with the amount of salt they contain. I'm not into pretzels or most chips for the same reason.



I soak my olives in filtered water, about three soaks and the salt is mostly removed and you can taste the olive.


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## Addie (May 13, 2013)

I used to like the green Spanish olives stuffed with pimentoes. But I have developed a sensitivity to oversalted foods. So now for a snack I just buy ONE can of California black olives. If I buy more than one can, I will sit and eat more than one can. I get the small ones. More to the can. I have a pitter and when I buy the oil cured Kalamata, I get the ones with the pit.


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## pacanis (May 13, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> By the way, BT... what's up with the Canadian/Australian/English spelling of favourite with the superfluous "U"?
> 
> Are you going colonial on us, lol?


 
I believe he has the answer to that saved somewhere so he can just copy & paste it when asked


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## Addie (May 13, 2013)

pacanis said:


> I believe he has the answer to that saved somewhere so he can just copy & paste it when asked


 
I think Canada is rubbing off on us Southerners. Just don't send all that cold down here in the winter.


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## Cooking Goddess (May 14, 2013)

My *favorite* olive is a Lindsay ripe green olive.  Hard to find though.


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## Gravy Queen (May 14, 2013)

My favourite is kalamata .


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## buckytom (May 15, 2013)

i'm not a fan of black olives. they're a bland waste of time, imo.


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## Ireneu (May 15, 2013)

I like all kind of olives! Anyway, for me, the most tasty olives are the "Arbequina" Olives and the black olives. 

The arbequina olive is a very small olive that we have here in Catalonia. We use it so extensive for making a varietal olive oil and as appetizer.

You can find more information about arbequina olives in Wikipedia:
Arbequina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

About Black olives I think you have the same information as me. You can find them worldwide.

-Ireneu-


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## merstar (May 15, 2013)

Hi Ireneu, 
My best memories are of Costa Brava. I was in St Feliu de Guixols and Tossa Del Mar, and a local took me to some amazing restaurants. I have to say, it was the best food I've ever had, and I've lived in Paris and other great food locations.


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## Ireneu (May 15, 2013)

Hehehe! I'm really very happy with your comment Merstar. Not in vain we have had the most important restaurants in world: El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca. Anyway, there's not necessary to go to the famous restaurants for eating very good. Here are a lot of little or unknown restaurants that they serve a good food too, but they are hidden for the tourist. 

Tip: if you want to eat good and cheap in Catalonia/ Spain, you have to ask the natives and run away from the downtown. The good ones normally aren't in the touristic zones.

-Ireneu-


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## merstar (May 15, 2013)

Ireneu said:


> Hehehe! I'm really very happy with your comment Merstar. Not in vain we have had the most important restaurants in world: El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca. Anyway, there's not necessary to go to the famous restaurants for eating very good. Here are a lot of little or unknown restaurants that they serve a good food too, but they are hidden for the tourist.
> 
> Tip: if you want to eat good and cheap in Catalonia/ Spain, you have to ask the natives and run away from the downtown. The good ones normally aren't in the touristic zones.
> 
> -Ireneu-



Absolutely - That's why I was so glad to have a native bring me to all the best local restaurants, many of them were family-owned and only known by the locals. None of them were for the tourists. The food was superb - so fresh and delicious beyond compare. The local wine was also superb. I wish I could remember the names of the restaurants, but it was so long ago.

On another note: A few months ago, I tried a new extra virgin olive oil   - It's from Spain and is called Nunez de Prado. It's excellent!

By the way, besides the food being fantastic, I thought the Costa Brava was soooo beautiful - with the ocean and mountains and countryside... The people were also very, very nice - warm and friendly.


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## Ireneu (May 16, 2013)

merstar said:


> Absolutely - That's why I was so glad to have a native bring me to all the best local restaurants, many of them were family-owned and only known by the locals. None of them were for the tourists. The food was superb - so fresh and delicious beyond compare. The local wine was also superb. I wish I could remember the names of the restaurants, but it was so long ago.



In Catalonia we have a lot of regional wines. I suppose that you have tasted the Empordà wines. Don't you?



merstar said:


> On another note: A few months ago, I tried a new extra virgin olive oil   - It's from Spain and is called Nunez de Prado. It's excellent!



Did you bought that oil in US? I don't know that oil brand. Anyway, I don't use that kind of bottled oil, because we buy our olive oil directly from farmers.

In Tarragona, the farmers cultivate a long extension of olive trees and every village have his own agricultural cooperative. The products that they sell are from the better quality and with a very competitive prizes. The oil that we use at home is mixed from Picual and Hojiblanca olives and it comes from first pressed. That oil is extra virgin too (ultra high quality) , but not everybody likes because it's so strong and not recommended for fried-food. We usually use it for seasoning salads or vegetables, even for make our "Catalan national food", a bread toast with garlic, oil and tomato. Have you tried it, Merstar?




merstar said:


> By the way, besides the food being fantastic, I thought the Costa Brava was soooo beautiful - with the ocean and mountains and countryside... The people were also very, very nice - warm and friendly.



Hehehe... I like very much the Costa Brava and the Rosas Gulf countryside. It's a pity that our landscape can be more loved by the tourists than by the natives.  

-Ireneu-


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## merstar (May 16, 2013)

Ireneu,

You're lucky you can buy your oil directly from your farmers! Here's an article about Nunez de Prado:
The Núñez de Prado Obession with Perfection - Olive Oil Times

I'm not sure what kind of wine I had, but one of the red wines I had was produced by the owners of the restaurant in St. Feliu de Guixols. They also had their own farm, so a lot of the food I ordered, such as the chicken, was from their farm.
_
"Catalan national food", a bread toast with garlic, oil and tomato. Have you tried it, Merstar?" _
Yes, I have! It was soooo delicious!


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## tinlizzie (May 17, 2013)

Oil-cured olives in a jar, but they're a once-in-a-while treat.


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## Ireneu (May 17, 2013)

I've read the article, Merstar. It's very interesting all the magazine, including one article dedicated to Siurana PDO (the kind of oil that I use) and the problems that they will have with the global warming in the future.

Concerning to the wine that you tasted in St. Feliu de Guixols, I think it could become to the Empordà PDO. but I'm not sure because St Feliu is in the border of the region.  I will investigate!

-Ireneu-


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 17, 2013)

I'm with the "I like 'em all" gang.  But my favorites are ripe, black olives from a can, preferable medium size.  That is strange to me as I usually like everything, but know what I like best, and it's usually more expensive.

But I grew up with the canned olives and just loved them at first bite.  What can I say?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Dawgluver (May 17, 2013)

I really like the pretty Verdi Castrelvetrano green olives from Costco.  Very mild and buttery, not too salty.


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## merstar (May 17, 2013)

Ireneu said:


> I've read the article, Merstar. It's very interesting all the magazine, including one article dedicated to Siurana PDO (the kind of oil that I use) and the problems that they will have with the global warming in the future.
> 
> Concerning to the wine that you tasted in St. Feliu de Guixols, I think it could become to the Empordà PDO. but I'm not sure because St Feliu is in the border of the region.  I will investigate!



Yes, let me know what you find out!

By the way, I also want to mention that the best espresso I ever had was in the Costa Brava - I used to order Cafe Cortado. Also, I had the best desserts there- I don't remember most of them, but I do remember the Crema Catalana. My host was stuffing me with so much great food that I must have gained 15 lbs!


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 18, 2013)

Dawgluver said:


> I really like the pretty Verdi Castrelvetrano green olives from Costco.  Very mild and buttery, not too salty.



Those are wonderful!


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## cave76 (Jun 3, 2013)

Going off topic here a bit but still about olives. Many years ago we had the chance to pick ripe olives from the tree of a friends olive trees in Napa Valley, CA.
Being not too bright, but optimistic, we decided to 'cure' our own olives. The details all elude me now but we followed some other idjits directions for doing it at home. All stages were followed religiously and took several weeks/months.

For other reasons that elude me one of the final stages was leaving the olives in a burlap sack in the sun. (Don't ask, I don't remember why!) 

The sunny spot we chose was on the concrete walkway going from the porch to the sidewalk.
A few hours later I glanced out and saw a dog lifting his leg on the sack full of olives! 
Well, so much for THAT experiment! 

Back on topic. I love ALL olives! Any kind. Except the ones peed on by a dog.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 3, 2013)

cave76 said:


> Going off topic here a bit but still about olives. Many years ago we had the chance to pick ripe olives from the tree of a friends olive trees in Napa Valley, CA.
> Being not too bright, but optimistic, we decided to 'cure' our own olives. The details all elude me now but we followed some other idjits directions for doing it at home. All stages were followed religiously and took several weeks/months.
> 
> For other reasons that elude me one of the final stages was leaving the olives in a burlap sack in the sun. (Don't ask, I don't remember why!)
> ...



 That's a great story.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Jun 3, 2013)

Thank you for my laugh of the day!


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## buckytom (Jun 3, 2013)

in sardinia, the pee'd upon olives would be a delicacy of some sort.

just look at casu marzu.

you'd be happy to eat those olives after that, lol.


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## Luca Lazzari (Jun 4, 2013)

buckytom said:


> in sardinia, the pee'd upon olives would be a delicacy of some sort.
> 
> just look at casu marzu.
> 
> you'd be happy to eat those olives after that, lol.



 Casu marzu has been forbidden by Geneva Convention...

My true queens of the olive kingdom are the _taggiasche_ from Liguria, followed by the giant green olives from Cerignola, Puglia.
But I, too, like them all!


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## cave76 (Jun 4, 2013)

buckytom said:


> in sardinia, the pee'd upon olives would be a delicacy of some sort.
> just look at casu marzu.
> you'd be happy to eat those olives after that, lol.



That's a big EW-WWW---WWWWW!


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## Janet H (Jun 4, 2013)

I love olives - especially black ones but am finding it harder and harder to find them with pits. The depitted ones lose flavor and the texture breaks down quickly in brine.

My favorites are Niçoise - those tiny little black gems from the french riviera (although most of them come from spain and morocco). They are especially good on pizza!


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## Addie (Jun 4, 2013)

Check at your deli counter.


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## cave76 (Jun 4, 2013)

Janet H said:


> I love olives - especially black ones but am finding it harder and harder to find them with pits. The depitted ones lose flavor and the texture breaks down quickly in brine.



I agree about the 'no pits'---- they just don't keep as well. I imagine that 'no pits' is the consequence of someone suing (and winning) a case because they broke a tooth off on a pit from a salad bar.

It's the pits.


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## Janet H (Jun 4, 2013)

Addie said:


> Check at your deli counter.



Not mine... I live in the middle of nowhere where fine dining = Dennys and deli food = slaw and a chub of bologna


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 5, 2013)

Janet H said:


> Not mine... I live in the middle of nowhere where fine dining = Dennys and deli food = slaw and a chub of bologna



You have a Denny's!  We don't have one of those, or a Red Lobster, or an Outback Steak House, or a Red Robin, or any of those - better than McDonald's" places.  We do have a restaurant that serves overpriced, soggy veggies, and overcooked lamb chops with "yech" mint sauce, and wine soaked breaded mushrooms, where the wine completely obliterates the great mushroom flavor.  We used to have a KFC, but it got closed by the health department.

Woe is me.  With my cooking skills, the  best I can hope for is a potted meat sandwich, and that on moldy bread.  (heavy sigh).

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## buckytom (Jun 5, 2013)

well, that 'splains it, lucy.

why you've become a great cook. 

you had to!

although with red oversalted floating in cheap butter  lobster, and outback dried out, overspiced, greasy fried steakhouse, you ain't missin' nothin'.


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## Alix (Jun 5, 2013)

I'm an unpitted kalamata girl. I am not picky though. I'll eat nearly every olive that crosses my path. I really dislike pimento though so Murray scores whenever I eat olives stuffed with pimento.


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## Rocklobster (Jun 5, 2013)

Janet H said:


> Not mine... I live in the middle of nowhere where fine dining = Dennys and deli food = slaw and a chub of bologna


I know the feeling. I have to drive to Ottawa, which is about  one hour and fifteen minutes to the nearest decent black olive. So, I like to stock up when we do. We have Kalamatas around here, but they are pretty mild.


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

buckytom said:


> ....although with red oversalted floating in cheap butter lobster, and outback dried out, overspiced, greasy fried steakhouse, you ain't missin' nothin'.



About the only thing worth going to Red Lobstah for are the Cheddar Biscuits.  Unfortunately, they are pretty much a heart attack in a basket.  What a way to go!


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

Alix said:


> I'm an unpitted kalamata girl. I am not picky though. I'll eat nearly every olive that crosses my path. I really dislike pimento though so Murray scores whenever I eat olives stuffed with pimento.



If you ever run across green olives stuffed with almonds you should try them! I remember my Mom putting them out in the relish tray every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I thought they were wonderful!  Haven't seen them for years.  Just went looking for them online and found an Epicurious recipe to make them at home.  Some day, perhaps, I'll try...


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## Rocklobster (Jun 5, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> If you ever run across green olives stuffed with almonds you should try them! I remember my Mom putting them out in the relish tray every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I thought they were wonderful!  Haven't seen them for years.  Just went looking for them online and found an Epicurious recipe to make them at home.  Some day, perhaps, I'll try...


We sell them at the deli. I can mail you a jar if there are any in stock.


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

Rocklobster said:


> We sell them at the deli. I can mail you a jar if there are any in stock.



Aw, thanks so much!  But it's probably cheaper to try and make them at home.  It's been so many decades since I've had them that I really don't remember what they taste like except for "good".  Plus it would be fun to say I made them myself.  (Geez, now I sound like a 5 year old.  )


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## Rocklobster (Jun 5, 2013)

No probs. I was kinda kidding anyway. Not sure a glass jar would get there in one piece. Here is the brand we carry. Lots to choose from. Available in the US also. Stuffed Olives | Olive-it and more!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 5, 2013)

Alix said:


> I'm an unpitted kalamata girl. I am not picky though. I'll eat nearly every olive that crosses my path. I really dislike pimento though so Murray scores whenever I eat olives stuffed with pimento.



Murray the Pimento Pup!  Lol...I can just see him sitting there waiting for each little piece with his eyes twinkling and a grin.  Haven't had a pic of Murray lately...how does he do with the rest of the olive?


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## taxlady (Jun 5, 2013)

I love almost all olives. Kalamata are the ones I always make sure to have at home. I tried a variety of North African olives and a couple of them were too bitter for my liking.

Stirling doesn't like olives enough to munch them, but he likes them enough to cook with them.

I had a friend who would give an olive or three to her cat after clipping her claws. The cat liked them enough that she would meow and offer her paw to get some.


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## Janet H (Jun 5, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> If you ever run across green olives stuffed with almonds you should try them! I remember my Mom putting them out in the relish tray every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I thought they were wonderful!  Haven't seen them for years.  Just went looking for them online and found an Epicurious recipe to make them at home.  Some day, perhaps, I'll try...




This reminds me - I LOVE big green olives stuffed with garlic cloves - they get pickled right along with the olive and are wonderful!


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Murray the Pimento Pup!  Lol...I can just see him sitting there waiting for each little piece with his eyes twinkling and a grin.  Haven't had a pic of Murray lately...how does he do with the rest of the olive?



Our first cat loved pimento olives.  One dropped on the floor once and she chased it until the pimento fell out, then looked for a treat because, apparently, she killed the evil intruder and deserved a reward.


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## cave76 (Jun 5, 2013)

Cooking Goddess said:


> and she chased it until the pimento fell out, then looked for a treat because, apparently, she killed the evil intruder and deserved a reward.



LOL------  Cats! Ya gotta love 'em. 
(Watch Simon's Cat on YouTube.)


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

cave76 said:


> LOL------  Cats! Ya gotta love 'em.
> (Watch Simon's Cat on YouTube.)



Oh I do!  Every time I feel a little bit like GrumpyCat I watch Simon and giggle my way right out of my crabbies.  What's really scary is how much OUR cat behaves like Simon's.


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## Zereh (Jun 5, 2013)

buckytom said:


> although with red oversalted floating in cheap butter  lobster, and outback dried out, overspiced, greasy fried steakhouse, you ain't missin' nothin'.



I agree. I'd rather eat an egg salad sandwich @ home then "dine" at any of those place. And do!


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## Alix (Jun 5, 2013)

Cooking Goddess, stuffed with ALMONDS???? OMG that sounds amazing. I'm going to make that a TO DO. 

PF, Murray does NOT get the rest of the olive, only the pimento. I'm greedy that way. I'll transfer some pix from my phone to the computer ASAP and post one of the beastie boy. He just went completely, moronicly NUTS out on the deck. I think he can feel the thunderstorm coming. 

Janet, I love the ones with the garlic cloves inside. I eat way too many of those though and end up smelling like I'm a pickled garlic clove!

@ all the cat owners here, do your cats all like olive brine, or pickle brine? We had a siamese that went mental for olive brine when I was a kid and I thought it was just that he was a freak. I discovered recently that my other cats really like it too!


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## Cooking Goddess (Jun 5, 2013)

Alix, just first cat Midnight liked playing with the olive, mostly knocking it around and rubbing her chin on it.  LittleBit, our now kitty, doesn't like any olive, black or green.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 6, 2013)

Mine has discovered watermelon...now I have to get a personal one for her...


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## SimSportPlyr (Jun 6, 2013)

I love any green olives that are not salty or vinegary.   Unfortunately, it's hard to find such olives.

If you live near a Trader Joe's, you can find Trader Joe's brand Pitted Kalamata Olives, which are not salty or vinegary.    They are packed in olive oil and water and a little salt.

Divina olives are wonderful.   They are packed in olive oil and are not salty or vinegary.

I used to buy olives from shopolives.com that were excellent, although the company seems to have suspended operations (I have heard they'll be back).


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## simonbaker (Jun 6, 2013)

I love the queen green olives with pits. They are firm with great flavor. They can be difficult to find around here.


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