Our Table Olives   

At Telegraph Hill we process many varieties of table olives.  These include the Spanish Manzanillo, Israeli Barnea, South Australian Verdale, Greek Kalamata and French Pichelene.

GROWING & HARVESTING

Our olives are grown in Hawke's Bay New Zealand.  Harvesting is done by hand and machine.  Hand grading removes any with bruising or blemishes.  

Telegraph Hill black olives are sun ripened on the tree giving some variation in colour; this colour variation is the quid pro quo for the better flavours from tree-ripened olives. (Most olives are frequently ripened in processing using ripening/chemical agents hence their uniform black colour).

PROCESSING

After picking the olives are washed and then covered with a salt brine and monitored consistently until they have no bitter flavours. This process can take from 6 to 12 months.

Our olives are naturally fermented without additives or colourings. The olives are then processed further by combining them with one of our eight delicious flavour combinations and packed into glass jars, resealable plastic pouches and tubs. They are pasteurised at a low temperature to retain flavour and texture.

STORAGE

These olives will keep 18 months on the shelf or in the cupboard. Once opened, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Always use clean utensils and don't put uneaten olives back into the container.

The olives must be kept covered with brine during storage. If more brine is needed you can top up with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 cup of boiled water.

SERVING

Table olives are best served warm to bring out the flavours.

Remove the olives from the container without the brine, drizzle with Extra Virgin olive oil and warm before serving (olives can be warmed in the microwave for approx. 20 seconds)

Its easy to stone olives. If you don't have an olive stoner put them on a chopping board and press each one with the flat side of a knife. You can do several at a time. Simply open them to remove the pit.