Our Table Olives
At Telegraph Hill we process three varieties of table olives. These are:
- Spanish Manzanillo
- Greek Kalamata
- Italian Ouvo D'Piccione
Growing & Harvesting
Our olives are grown in the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Our harvesting is done by hand and machine. Hand grading allows us to remove any olives that have been bruised or have blemishes.
Telegraph Hill black olives are sun ripened on the tree, giving some variation in their colour. This colour variation is called the quid pro quo and allows for not only colour variation but better flavours that only tree-ripened olives can produce. Most mass-produced olives are commonly ripened in the processing stage using ripening/chemical agents. This is why all your olives will have a uniform black colour at the store.
Processing
After picking our olives they are washed and then covered with a salt brine. They are then monitored constantly until they have no bitter flavours. This process can take from anywhere in-between 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, re-sealable plastic pouches and tubs. They are pasteurised at a low temperature to retain flavour and texture.
Storage
Our olives will keep up to 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 un-eaten 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)
It's 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.
