Thread: Green in glass, black in cans...

On Dec 9, 8:29*am, Thomas <canope...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> cans?
>
> Serious question.
>
> Thanks.

I buy Goya green olives, anchovy stuffed, in cans. So, I'm not so
sure it's an 'only' situation.

Thomas wrote:
> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> cans?
>
> Serious question.
>
> Thanks.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...s-come-in-cans

Apparently it is because most black olives are the product of an
industrial artificial ripening process.

Thomas wrote:

> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> cans?
>
> Serious question.
>
> Thanks.

Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

"ChattyCathy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:z4OTm.69822$[email protected]..
| Thomas wrote:
|
| > Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
| > cans?
| >
| > Serious question.
| >
| > Thanks.
|
| Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
| olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
| sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?

I think you are right, there is a particular process used by the US
producers to artificially ripen the olives; they turn black and loose
most semblance of flavor. I don't remember seeing these on the
international market. George, in a response a few earlier than this,
came up with an excellent explanation of the ripening process, very
good research.

pavane

On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:49 +0200, ChattyCathy
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Thomas wrote:
>
>> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
>> cans?
>>
>> Serious question.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
>olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
>sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?

Probably. Are your black olives Greek or Mediterranean? The ones we
get in cans are not and many stores stock olives just the way the OP
said. I can't even find "Spanish" olives in cans anymore. They were
a lovely olive drab with brown flecks (pitted too) and I adored the
taste, but my stores don't stock them anymore. I don't know why.
Everything that's labeled "spanish olive" these days is a brighter
green, stuffed with pimento and comes in a jar.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

pavane wrote on Wed, 9 Dec 2009 09:37:41 -0500:


> "ChattyCathy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:z4OTm.69822$[email protected]..
|> Thomas wrote:
|>
| >> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black
| >> only come in cans?
| >>
| >> Serious question.
| >>
| >> Thanks.
|>
|> Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and
|> black olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic
|> 'pouches (or sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?

> I think you are right, there is a particular process used by
> the US producers to artificially ripen the olives; they turn
> black and loose most semblance of flavor. I don't remember
> seeing these on the international market. George, in a
> response a few earlier than this, came up with an excellent
> explanation of the ripening process, very good research.

I much prefer Kalamata olives (without pits) when I use black olives and
I think I have come across these in both cans and jars. I don't know the
answer but are Kalamata olives the result of chemical processing? I've
also bought them in plastic containers from my local organic food coop.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

sf wrote:

> On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:49 +0200, ChattyCathy
> <[email protected]> wrote:

>>
>>Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
>>olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
>>sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?
>
> Probably. Are your black olives Greek or Mediterranean? The ones we
> get in cans are not and many stores stock olives just the way the OP
> said. I can't even find "Spanish" olives in cans anymore. They were
> a lovely olive drab with brown flecks (pitted too) and I adored the
> taste, but my stores don't stock them anymore. I don't know why.
> Everything that's labeled "spanish olive" these days is a brighter
> green, stuffed with pimento and comes in a jar.
>
We get a lot of Greek olives both in cans and jars; some of them
imported "as is" and others that are repacked here. We also used to get
some wonderful (canned) black olives imported "as is" from Spain - but
I haven't been able to find them *anywhere* lately either - odd. Maybe
they had a few bad seasons (or something) and no longer export them.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Wed, 9 Dec 2009 05:29:39 -0800 (PST), Thomas <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
>cans?
>
>Serious question.
>
One word: vinegar.

"brooklyn1" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
| On Wed, 9 Dec 2009 05:29:39 -0800 (PST), Thomas <[email protected]>
| wrote:
|
| >Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
| >cans?
| >
| >Serious question.
| >
| One word: vinegar.

One word: wrong.

On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:49 +0200, ChattyCathy
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Thomas wrote:
>
>> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
>> cans?
>>
>> Serious question.
>>
>> Thanks.
>
>Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
>olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
>sachets). So maybe it's a 'regional thing'?

Also depends what kind of black olives, brined/salt cured are
typically packed in glass (or wood), I've never seen black olives in
vinegar, black olives are salt/oil cured... I've only seen California
Mission black olives in cans (a whole nother curing process). Some
stuffed green olives (anchovy) are not in a very strong vinegar
solution (anchovy is salted) so can be packaged in non-reactive coated
cans... but typically full strength pickling solutions (brine or acid)
are packed in glass (or wood). I haven't seen olives in plastic
pouches here in the US but sauerkraut in plastic pouches is typical,
perhaps there are olives in pouches in other locations... wholesale
quantities in 5 gallon plastic buckets is typical. Larger delis that
specialize in olives still display them in their large importation
wooden barrels... although nowadays I strongly suspect they refill the
old wooden barrels for display and olives are no longer shipped that
way.

In article <hfoepf$vhl$[email protected]>,
"James Silverton" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I much prefer Kalamata olives (without pits) when I use black olives and
> I think I have come across these in both cans and jars. I don't know the
> answer but are Kalamata olives the result of chemical processing? I've
> also bought them in plastic containers from my local organic food coop.

You know, sometimes I do like the tastes like a can black olives. I
don't think I'd like kalamata olives in enchiladas blancas, for
instance. I'm wondering if it would be possible to make something even
resembling them starting with raw, uncured olives at home.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

"pavane" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:8LPTm.351372$[email protected]..
>
> "brooklyn1" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
> | On Wed, 9 Dec 2009 05:29:39 -0800 (PST), Thomas <[email protected]>
> | wrote:
> |
> | >Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> | >cans?
> | >
> | >Serious question.
> | >
> | One word: vinegar.
>
> One word: wrong.
>

On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:10:09 -0800, Ranée at Arabian Knits
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm wondering if it would be possible to make something even
>resembling them starting with raw, uncured olives at home.

doesn't the process involve lye?

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

The message <[email protected]>
from brooklyn1 <[email protected]> contains these words:

> On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:49 +0200, ChattyCathy
> <[email protected]> wrote:

> >Thomas wrote:
> >
> >> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> >> cans?
> >>
> >> Serious question.
> >>
> >> Thanks.
> >
> >Well, where I live (South Africa), we can buy both green and black
> >olives in jars. Both are also available in plastic 'pouches (or
> >sachets).

Same in Britain (in any supermarket)

Janet.

In article
<[email protected]>,
Thomas <[email protected]> wrote:

> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> cans?
>
> Serious question.

Just off the top of my head, people often take a few green olives out of
the jar, put the lid back on, and put the jar in the fridge. People
tend to consume the whole can of black olives.

But actually, I've seen green olives in cans at the store. And here's a
place that will sell them either way for either color:

http://www.sbolive.com/default.aspx

I've ordered from this company a couple of times, mostly habanero
stuffed green olives in jars. My daughter loves them.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
[email protected]

In article <[email protected]>,
sf <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:10:09 -0800, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I'm wondering if it would be possible to make something even
> >resembling them starting with raw, uncured olives at home.
>
> doesn't the process involve lye?

Maybe, but so does making hominy and soap and both of those can be
done at home. I'm just curious as to a method.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/

In article
<[email protected]>,
Thomas <[email protected]> wrote:

> Why do green olives only come in glass jars while black only come in
> cans?
>
> Serious question.
>
> Thanks.

I _have_ bought green in cans, but never black in glass unless they were
gourmet olives.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

"Ranée at Arabian Knits" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
| In article <[email protected]>,
| sf <[email protected]> wrote:
|
| > On Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:10:09 -0800, Ranée at Arabian Knits
| > <[email protected]> wrote:
| >
| > >I'm wondering if it would be possible to make something even
| > >resembling them starting with raw, uncured olives at home.
| >
| > doesn't the process involve lye?
|
| Maybe, but so does making hominy and soap and both of those can be
| done at home. I'm just curious as to a method.

I have never tried it but was told by a friend who did so a few years
ago that this article is complete and accurate. She suggested browsing
other recipes in pickling books and the internet. Anyway, here is the
website reference:
http://www.wikihow.com/Cure-Olives

pavane

In article <KeUTm.358699$[email protected]>,
"pavane" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I have never tried it but was told by a friend who did so a few years
> ago that this article is complete and accurate. She suggested browsing
> other recipes in pickling books and the internet. Anyway, here is the
> website reference:
> http://www.wikihow.com/Cure-Olives

Thank you! I will check it out.

Regards,
Ranee @ Arabian Knits

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/