When does Bacon go with Olives?

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When Kevin from Bacon Press sends Meathenge Labs a gift of freshly cured olives! That’s when!



On September 20th 2005, Kevin posted about a trip he’d taken and picked some fresh olives. If you’ve ever had good olives or even great ones, you know how good this is going to be. Anyway, not only did he pick them, but decided to tell everyone how he cured the little suckers. It’s a long and involved process, a process for the love of olives. I left a semi-typical response to all his hard work and he offered to send me some of the olives if I’d leave my address. Done.
They arrived in a few days, a Saturday I believe. And none too soon, the little cardboard box was getting a little soggy. They’d been packed in a heavy brine and the letter he sent with explained that maybe I should make a lighter one and add some of my own goodies. He included a little container with Fennel Pollen, nice touch there K. I divided the olives between two jars and added my brine, 1/4 cupful salt to 1 quartful of water. To the first jar I added ground White Sarawak Peppercorns, Mexican Oregano, fennel pollen and slices of garlic. To the second one went in the same, but with habanero paprika! YEAH !! Oddly enough, the habanero has a sweetness to it that mingles well with the buttery olives. I added a little fresh lemon juice, Kevin is always wary about botulism, he cares.
Yeah well, it did’nt take more than a few days to get a really nice olive. I let them come to room temperature, cold food really subdues flavors. The meat was firm and pulled nicely. The brine wasn’t anything near overpowering, hint of garlic, fennel and most of all? Buttery, greeny, olive love. The habanero version was a little on the weak side. I should have doubled the amount, sure it would have been hot. But the flavor of the chile would have been more pronounced, maybe next time. I suppose I could redo the brine, but I’m kinda lazy that way. Every few days, I go in and give the jar a shake, just to make sure all is well. They’re just about done now, I’ll miss my gift greatly. Thank you Kevin, for sharing the fruits of your hard work.
Biggles

8 thoughts on “When does Bacon go with Olives?”

  1. Yes. Yes indeed. Gorgeous photo of the sweating olive jar Biggles.
    Next month I am going to engage in year three of my attempts to cure olives. Wouldjer give me a link to Kevin’s explanation?

  2. I did, sorta. Just follow the link I gave for Bacon Press and scroll down a few inches. He hasn’t been posting much lately, hey. Kinda like someone else I know …

  3. DB,
    They’re also really great in olive oil and herbs de provence. Just cover them part way with, oh, lets say Bariani EVOO and some freshly dried herbs. Let them sit in the fridge overnight, then let come to room temp.
    Can’t go wrong.
    PS We’re also curing black ones now. Let me know if you’d like some.

  4. We have olive trees growing all over the Napa Valley. There’s even one right outside my front door. But in all my years of living in God’s Little Acre, I’ve never cured any. When I first moved here, way back in the days of my impatient youth, I researched the curing process, took one look at the labor-intensive regimen and decided it was way too much trouble. But now that I’m older and wiser, I may have to rethink the notion…

  6. I read the whole story on Bacon Press last month and cursed my rotten luck for not knowing where to get olives on the tree… So all I had to do was make a snarky remark he’d offer me a jar? Damn. Next year, eh, Kev?
    Great photo; great olive work. Props to both of you.

  7. Hi,
    Your blog looks great!
    Please come and visit mine. It’s all about Swiss and international cuisine.
    Regards,
    Rosa