Canadian Blogging By Post: The Season's Bounty

It's been a pretty long time since I had enough time on my hands (and sufficient foresight!) to take part in one of the many great food blogging events. I'm glad I managed to find the time for this one. The blogging-by-post events are so neat, because they connect bloggers on a real, physical level in addition to the usual virtual connection. If you're not familiar with the blogging-by-post genre of events, the process is simple but delightful. A group of food bloggers, in this case Canadian food bloggers, all blog about a particular food theme on the appointed day - usually including a post with a recipe. This time 'round, the theme is "the season's bounty". After posting, the host of the event matches bloggers up and each blogger puts together a little care package on the same theme and posts it to another blogger on the list, so everyone gets a little treat. I love treats! Thanks to Cardamom Addict for hosting this round of Canadian Blogging By Post.

To be sure, Autumn is a bountiful season. There are so many lovely, fresh things to harvest and prepare. I feel a bit guilty as my "season's bounty" choice - olives- are not locally grown. They really do epitomise the season for me. I can't wait for the first crates to arrive in the Italian Centre Shop. Perfectly oval and green, with little blushing cheeks and the odd silvery leaf still attached to the stem. Olives are in season from September to mid-November and brining your own olives really is a labour of love. There's something about the lengthy process that feels very much like I'm preparing for winter, kind of like the ants rather than the grasshopper. I feel domestically virtuous.

Olivea are brined because they are so alkaline and bitter when fresh, they are absolutely inedible. The brining process decresases the bitterness to the tolerable level that olive-eaters enjoy. I use a simple brining recipe, like many others that are available online (or from a friend's Greek or Italian grandma). Once they are sufficiently brined -  a process that can take 6 to 8 weeks and as many changes of brine solution, I pack them into jars with sprigs of rosemary, thyme, lemon basil and garlic cloves, lemon rind, hot peppers...all sorts of things really.

If you're not into brining the olives yourself, or you don't have access to fresh olives, pick up a large quantity of plain brined, large, good quality green (or black) olives and make your own flavoured olives using the same recipe I use. Here's my favourite recipe for herb marinated green olives:

• 1 litre (4 cups) brine cured green olives
• 375 ml (3/4 cup) good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 250 ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

In a large (1 litre) glass jar, combine all the ingredients well and cover the jar. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally. Let come to room temperature before serving. These will keep in the fridge indefinitely, but please allow them a minimum of one week to properly marinate before using.

If you'd like, you can substitue thyme or rosemary for the oregano.

An extra specail serving time for marinate olives is to heat them gently before serving so that they are warm. Yum. Now preapre to bunk in for the winter by curling up on the sofa with a good book, some soft Turkish bread and some tasty warm olives.

Comments

[Ivonne]

Lyn,

I'm so glad to see that you took part in CBBP #2. My family often brines olives at this time of year. I bet yours are delicious!

[jasmine]

Not to worry about the lack of Canadian olives--this is a great post :)

Thanks for participating.

j

[Ruth]

I admit to being too lazy to actually do the brining. That said, I love what you do with them after.

Thanks for sharing this great marinade.

[Sarah Lou]

I saw large crates of "raw" olives at the Italian grocer around this time last year. Being the foodie I am, I snapped a few pictures. What I really wanted, to complete the photos, was the story behind the brining process and it wasn't until your informative post that I learned of such. Thanks!

[Noah]

I'm looking for a grocer that carries an
assortment of moroccan foods (southside Edmonton). Especially orange flower water and oil-cured black olives. Thanks for any suggestions.