Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Kalamata olives
Kalamata olives

The Olive is the fruit of the Olive tree (Olea europaea) and is a major component of the agriculture and gastronomy of many countries adjoining the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. Kalamata (Καλαμάτα Kalamáta, formerly Καλάμαι Kalámai) is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The Olive ( Olea europaea) is a Species of small Tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Gastronomy is the study of the relationship between Culture and Food. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

Contents

History

It is not known exactly when the wild olive became a domesticated crop. A leaf from an olive tree is mentioned in chapter 8 of Genesis when Noah finds one in the dove's beak. Noah (or Noe, Noach;; Nūḥ; Arabic: نوح; "Rest") was according to the Bible, the tenth and last of In the Homeric world, as depicted in the Iliad, olive oil is known only as a luxury of the wealthy--an exotic product, prized chiefly for its value in grooming; warriors would anoint themselves after bathing, and the body of Patroclus is described as being oiled in this way. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the The Iliad ( Greek: Ἰλιάς (Ancient Ιλιάδα (Modern is together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees In Economics, a luxury good is a good for which Demand increases more than proportionally as income rises in contrast to a "necessity good" In Greek mythology, as recorded in the Iliad by Homer, Patroclus, or Patroklos (Gr But no mention of the cultivation of the plant is made, whereas a vineyard is mentioned in the description of Achilles' shield. "Achilleus" redirects here For the emperor with this name see Achilleus (emperor. But, although no reference to the cultivation of the olive occurs in the Iliad, the presence of the tree in the garden of Alcinous and other allusions show it to have been known when the Odyssey was written. Alcinous or Alkínoös ( Gr) was in Greek mythology a son of Nausithous, or of Phaeax (son of Poseidon and The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer.

Some of the different varieties of black and green marinated olives sold by farmers and in shops
Some of the different varieties of black and green marinated olives sold by farmers and in shops

All tradition points to the limestone hills of Attica as the seat of its first cultivation on the Hellenic peninsula. Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece The tree features in the myths of the founding of Athens: an olive is said to have sprung from the barren rock at the bidding of Athena, the city state's patron, when she fought with Poseidon. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" This suggests some relation to the first planting of the olive in Greece. There is also the remarkable story told by Herodotus of the Epidaurians, who, when their crops failed, were told by the Delphic oracle to erect statues to Damia and Auxesia (symbols of fertility) carved from the wood of the true garden olive, then possessed only by the Athenians. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash PYTHIA is a computer simulation program for particle collisions at very high energies (see Event (particle physics) in Particle accelerators They did so when granted their request for a tree by the Athenians (on the condition of making an annual sacrifice to Athena) and their lands became fertile again. The sacred tree of the goddess long stood on the Acropolis, and, though destroyed in the Persian invasion, sprouted again from the root. The Acropolis of Athens is the best known Acropolis (high city The "Sacred Rock" in the world Some suckers of the original tree were said to have produced the later revered olive trees of the Academy. An academy ( Greek Ἀκαδημία is an institution of higher learning research or honorary membership

By the time of Solon the olive had spread so much that he found it necessary to enact laws to regulate the cultivation of the tree in Attica. Solon ( ancient Greek:, c 638 BC&ndash558 BC was an Athenian Statesman, Lawmaker and Lyric poet. From here it gradually spread to all the Athenian allies and tributary states. Phoenician vessels may have taken olive cuttings to the Ionian coast, where it abounded in the time of Thales; the olives of the Sporades, Rhodes and Crete perhaps had a similar origin. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this Thales of Miletus According to Bertrand Russell, "Philosophy begins with Thales Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Samos, if we may judge from the epithet of Aeschylus, must have had the plant long before the Persian Wars. Aeschylus (ˈɛskɨləs or /ˈiːskɨləs/ Greek: Ασχύλος, Aischylos, 525 BC/524 BC 456 BC/455 BC was an ancient Greek Playwright

Cultivation

Cultivation of the olive was (and remains) a key characteristic of Mediterranean mixed farming, and played a large part in the economic development of ancient Greece because of the suitability of olive oil as an export crop. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees For instance Attica, the region of Athens, was a grain importer and olive oil exporter from early historic times. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The Athenian pottery industry was stimulated largely by the demand for containers in which to export olive oil.

Soon it was replaced with Spain, that since then and till now has turned into the first world producer of olive oil and olives of the world, being the province of Jaén (Andalusia) the geographical zone of major production in oil and the province of Seville (Andalusia) in olive. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Jaén (جيان: Jayyān is a city in south-central Spain, the name is probably derived from the Arabic word Jayyan (crossroads of caravans Andalusia (Andalucía is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the most populous and the second largest in terms of land area Seville ( Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. Andalusia (Andalucía is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the most populous and the second largest in terms of land area

In modern times the olive has been spread widely around the world; and, though the Mediterranean lands that were its ancient home remain the main source of the oil, the tree is now cultivated successfully in many regions unknown to its early distributors. Protected by high brick walls, a fruiting olive tree is in the Chelsea Physic Garden, London. The Chelsea Physic Garden was established as the Apothecaries’ Garden in London, England in 1673 Soon after the discovery of the Americas it was taken there by the Spanish settlers. In Chile it flourishes as luxuriantly as in its native land, the trunk sometimes attaining a large girth, while oil of fair quality is yielded by the fruit. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the To Peru it was carried at a later date and now has flourished very successfully. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. It was introduced into Mexico by the Jesuit missionaries of the 17th century, and to Upper California (where it stagnated later). The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Olive cultivation has also been attempted in the south-eastern states, especially in South Carolina, Florida and Mississippi. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States In the eastern hemisphere the olive has been established in many inland districts which would have been anciently considered ill-adapted for it. It was known at a comparatively early period of history in Armenia and Persia, and many olive-groves now exist in Upper Egypt. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The tree has been introduced into Chinese agriculture, and has become an important addition to Australia's farmers, and there are probably few coast districts there where the tree would not flourish. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In Queensland the olive has found a climate specially suitable; and in South Australia, near Adelaide. Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a It has likewise been successfully introduced into some parts of South Africa and New Zealand.

Packaged olives, sold as an Italian snack food
Packaged olives, sold as an Italian snack food

A pleasing substitute for the butter and animal fats consumed by people to the north, the olive, among the southern nations of antiquity, became an emblem not only of peace but of national wealth and domestic plenty; the branches borne in the Panathenaea, the wild olive spray of the Olympic victor, the olive crown of the Roman conqueror at ovation, and those of the equites at their imperial review were symbols of peace that, in a barbarous age, could be secured by victory alone. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water The Panathenaea (Παναθήναια "all-Athenian festival" was the most important festival for Athens and one of the grandest in the entire ancient Greek The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Among the Greeks the oil was valued as an important article of diet, as well as for its external use. The Roman people employed it widely in food and cookery--the wealthy as an indispensable adjunct to grooming; and in the luxurious days of the later empire it was said that long and pleasant life depended on two fluids: wine within and oil without. Pliny describes fifteen varieties of olive cultivated in his day, the Licinian being most esteemed, and the oil obtained from Venafrum in Campania, the finest known to Roman connoisseurs. The produce of Istria and Baetica was then regarded as second only to that of the Italian peninsula.

Gourmets from the Roman empire to the present day have valued the unripe fruit, steeped in brine, as challenging to the palate. Pickled olives, retaining their characteristic flavor, have been found among the buried stores of Pompeii. Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples and Caserta in the Italian region of Campania, in Note also that the green olive and black olive are from the same plant; green olives are pickled before being ripened, black olives after.

The bitter juice deposited during pressing of the oil (called amurca), and the astringent leaves of the tree have many virtues attributed to them by ancient authors. Amurca is the bitter tasting dark watery liquid which flows from pressed Olives under light pressure prior to the Olive oil which only drains under greater pressure The oil of the bitter wild olive was employed by Roman physicians in medicine, but does not appear ever to have had a culinary use.

The olive is used in different culinary disciplines: in cocktails it is an essential adjunct of the martini; in sausages, it may be used in mortadella and so on. A cocktail is a style of Mixed drink. Originally a mixture of distilled spirits, Sugar, Water, and Bitters, the word has gradually The martini is a Cocktail made with Gin and dry white Vermouth or sweet red Vermouth. Mortadella pronounced /morta'dɛla/ is an Italian Cold cut ( salume /sa'lume/ made of finely hashed/ground heat-cured Pork It is commonly used in breads as well. Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water.

In the United States olive oil is graded differently from the rest of the world as they are not part of the International Olive Oil Council which defines the standards and monitors production of olive oil in most countries around the world.

Nutrition

Olives are high in Monounsaturated fat, iron, Vitamin E, and dietary fiber [1]. For discussion how dietary fats affect cardiovascular health see Diet and heart disease. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 See also Tocopherol, Tocotrienol Vitamin E is the collective name for a set of 8 related Tocopherols and Tocotrienols which are fat-soluble Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Naturally ripened purple/black appearing olives contain anthocyanins. Not to be confused with Anthocyanidin, their sugar free counterparts This does not include artificially ripened "black olives" that are typically found in cans. There is also an effect that typical processing has on the quantity and type of anthocyanins contained in olives.

See also

References

  1. ^ The World's Healthiest Foods

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic