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Every article and recipe on this site, grouped by subject. 195 entries in total.

The olive 81

Adana Topağı: the olive cultivar that needs the least coldThe lowest chilling requirement among cultivars tested: 346 hours, 234 chill units. Why that matters as winters warm, and its 6-gram fruit.
Arbequina olive: Spain's oil varietyThe mainstay of super-high-density planting. Small canopy, small fruit, early bearing — the variety that changed modern olive growing.
The Ayvalık (Edremit) olive: one variety, two names19-20.66% of the tree stock, second after Memecik. 25% oil. Green maturity only between 15 and 30 October; black maturity after 15 November, among the latest.
Belluti oliveBelluti is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. No measured pomological data published.
Butko oliveButko is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. No measured pomological data published.
Büyük Topak Ulak oliveBüyük Topak Ulak is a recorded variety of the Mediterranean. Described in the source.
Coratina olive: Italy's oil varietyAmong the highest-polyphenol varieties in the world. Distinctly bitter and pungent — the oil that gives blends their backbone.
Geographical Indication Olives and Olive Oils of TurkeyTürkiye's registered olive and olive oil geographical indications: which product, which locality, under what conditions — and what registration means.
The Domat olive: the cultivar behind stuffed olives, in numbersDomat, Turkey's largest table cultivar: 7.96 g fruit, 89% flesh, a 552-hour chilling requirement. Why stuffed olives are always made from it, the disagreement over oil content, and why it is never planted alone.
World olive varieties: from Picual to KalamataAbout 1,200 cultivars exist; commercial weight sits in a few dozen. Picual, Arbequina, Koroneiki, Kalamata, Frantoio — compared with Türkiye.
The Edincik Su olive: the third black-table cultivarOne of the three cultivars widely processed as black table olives in Turkey, alongside Gemlik and Uslu. The cultivar of the Bandırma area.
Which table olive variety is best?The leading varieties for black and green table olives, measured fruit weights, and how curing affects quality.
The Erkence olive: the cultivar that sweetens on the treeErkence accounts for 3.5% of Turkey's olive trees. It is the Aegean's earliest-ripening cultivar and has a property with few equivalents anywhere: the fruit loses its bitterness on the tree, without brine.
Eğriburun olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe lowest oil content on the list (17%) but the highest flesh ratio (89%) — a pure table variety.
Frantoio olive: Italy's oil varietyThe emblem of Tuscan olive oil. A balanced, aromatic, moderately bitter oil, and the most widely exported Italian variety.
The Gemlik olive: small fruit, six times the fleshTurkey s only olive cultivar with a geographical indication: 3.7 g fruit, a 6.4 flesh-to-pit ratio, 29-30% oil. Self-fertility measurements, chilling requirement, and why it is still picked by hand.
Gölvala oliveGölvala is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. No measured pomological data published.
The Halhalı olive: Hatay's oil cultivarHalhalı accounts for 2.2% of Turkey's olive trees, the main oil cultivar of Hatay and Mardin. The measured self-sterility of Yuvarlak Halhalı and what it means for orchard planning.
Which type of olive is better?Table or oil, green or black — choosing a variety by purpose, with a short regional map.
Hojiblanca olive: Spain's oil and table varietySpain's third-largest variety and genuinely dual-purpose: it goes to black table olives and to oil alike.
Hursuki oliveHursuki is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. No measured pomological data published.
Kalamata olive: Greece's table varietyThe world's best-known table olive. Almond-shaped, purplish-black fruit, and a name that is a protected designation of origin.
Kalem Bezi olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasTied with Kilis Yağlık for the highest oil content on the list (31%), but with a better flesh ratio.
Kan Çelebi oliveKan Çelebi is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. Described in the source.
Karamürsel Su olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe largest fruit on the list: only 140 per kilo. Marmara's own distinctive table variety.
Kilis Yağlık olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasOne of Türkiye's highest oil-yielding varieties at 31%. Small-fruited and purely for oil — 560 fruits per kilo.
Kiraz olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasAkhisar's early table variety. Low in oil, but early maturity makes it the season's first olive to market.
Koroneiki olive: Greece's oil varietyThe backbone of Greek olive oil. Very small fruit, very high polyphenol content, and one of the three super-high-density varieties.
Leccino olive: Italy's oil varietyFrantoio's blending partner. A softer profile with notable cold and disease tolerance.
Manzanilla olive: Spain's table varietyThe world's most widely planted green table variety and the international standard for stuffed olives. It is grown in Türkiye too.
Marantelli oliveMarantelli is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. Described in the source.
Olive growing in Marmara: the home of the table oliveThe table olive's home is not the Aegean but Marmara: 80% of the region's crop is Gemlik. The reason is climate.
Mavi oliveMavi is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. No measured pomological data published.
Melkebazi oliveMelkebazi is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. No measured pomological data published.
The Memecik olive: Türkiye's oil varietyBetween 19% and 45% of the tree stock. 24-25% oil, 88% flesh. Green maturity in early October, two months after Gemlik.
Memeli olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe highest flesh ratio on the list at 89%. Low in oil, but with one of the smallest stones.
Mission olive: United States's table and oil varietyAmerica's historic variety: carried by the Spanish missions, it built California's black table olive industry.
Nizip Yağlık olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe southeast's main oil variety and one of the rare self-fertile cultivars on the list — it crops even without a pollinator.
Organic olive growing: what a four-year trial foundA four-year organic vs conventional trial at Kemalpaşa: no yield difference, 11.5% higher gross margin for organic, lower peroxide value, but higher fruit oil content under conventional management.
Otur oliveOtur is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. Described in the source.
Patos olivePatos is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. Described in the source.
Picual olive: Spain's oil varietyThe single largest share of world olive oil production. High oleic acid and polyphenols, a pungent and stable oil.
Samanlı olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe local table variety around Lake İznik — Gemlik's neighbour, with a different fruit structure.
Sarı Haşebi olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasHatay's local table variety, virtually unknown outside the region and part of Kuseyr Plateau olive growing.
Sarı Ulak olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasThe eastern Mediterranean's table variety. The lowest flesh ratio on the list (72%) — a large stone, yet it holds its ground.
Sat oliveSat is a recorded variety of the Black Sea. No measured pomological data published.
Saurani olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasHatay's dual-purpose variety: 29% oil with 87% flesh — one of the most balanced combinations on the list.
The Difference Between Black and Green OlivesNot two different trees but the same fruit at two different moments. So why do they differ in taste, texture and nutrition?
Table Olive VarietiesFrom Gemlik to Kalamata, Manzanilla to Castelvetrano: the world's best-known table olives and what each is good for.
Table Olives: Types, Curing and How to ChooseFrom green to black, cracked to dry-cured: how table olives are made, chosen and kept.
Where is quality lost in table olives?Variety choice, harvest technique, fermentation control, sterilisation and the pre-packing check are each a separate point of loss. The structural problem is scale and inspection.
Tavşanyüreği oliveTavşanyüreği is a recorded variety of the Mediterranean. Described in the source.
Where do olives grow in Türkiye, and where don't they?What limits the olive is frost, not a provincial border. Where it grows in Türkiye, with cold thresholds and altitude limits.
Which is Turkey's best-quality olive?Quality criteria and measured values for Turkey's main olive varieties — fruit weight, oil content and intended use.
Uslu olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasAkhisar's black table variety. Overshadowed by Gemlik, yet holding its own market.
Yamalak Sarısı: the local table cultivar of AydınA local cultivar of Aydın counted among Turkey's most important table olives, and the subject of a phenotypic characterisation study.
Yağ Çelebi olive: characteristics, oil content and growing areasDespite the name, its 21% oil puts it low on the list; its large fruit also serves the table.
The Olive TreeOlea europaea: botany, lifespan, root and leaf structure, monumental trees. The identity of the Mediterranean's emblematic tree and how it lives.
How to Grow an Olive TreeSoil, climate, watering, pruning and patience. A basic care guide for anyone planting an olive tree.
The Olive Harvest: When and HowEarly harvest or late? The timing of picking directly determines the oil's acidity, polyphenols and yield.
How Are Olives Cured?An olive straight from the tree is inedible — it is bitter. In water, in salt, in lye or scored: the methods that remove the bitterness, and how long each takes.
The Olive Sector in Turkey: Structure, Exports and ChallengesProduction, exports, business structure and price: the Turkish olive sector in figures, and where the chain breaks.
The Olive Calendar: The Olive Year Month by MonthWhen to prune, when it flowers, which olives are picked when — the year of the tree and the grower, month by month.
Olive Leaf and Olive Leaf TeaThe leaves left over from pruning need not be thrown away. What olive leaf contains, how the tea is made, and the limits worth respecting.
Olive Leaf Tea: How to Make It and Its LimitsTea from leaves left over after pruning: gathering, drying, brewing — and the health claims worth resisting.
Are my olives spoiled? Mould, bulging lids and softeningA white film on brine is not always mould. But a bulging lid is not debatable: discard it unopened. How kahm yeast differs from mould.
Olive wood: why spoons and not beams?At 0.86 g/cm³ air-dried it is denser than walnut, yet its modulus of elasticity of 4,444 N/mm² is less than half walnut's. It resists crushing but not bending.
Olive and Olive Oil GlossaryOleuropein, lampante, pomace, malaxation, designation of origin… Short, verifiable definitions of olive and olive oil terms.
Olives and Olive Oil: Frequently Asked QuestionsDoes the fridge test work, what separates extra virgin from riviera, can you fry with olive oil? The 18 most common questions, answered briefly.
Olive varieties: seventeen Turkish varieties in numbersGemlik, Ayvalık, Memecik, Domat and the rest: Türkiye's olive varieties with oil content, fruit size, flesh ratio, region and ripening calendar.
The Olive: Tree, History, Production and FutureThe botany, history and uses of the olive tree; current production figures worldwide and in Turkey, provinces, varieties and the sector's future — with tables.
Chilling requirement in olives: which variety grows where?The olive must spend time below 7.2°C in winter. Adana Topağı needs 346 hours, Domat 552. Unmet, some years bring no crop.
Products from OliveTable olives, oil, pomace, leaf and soap: what is made from each part of the tree, and what each is good for.
Olive Oil Soap: How It Is Made, Its Types and How to ChooseHow saponification works, why curing takes months, and how to recognise genuine olive oil soap.
Zoncuk oliveZoncuk is a recorded variety of south-eastern Anatolia. No measured pomological data published.
The Çakır olive: a cultivar that asks for a thousand hours of coldReported alongside Ayvalık and Domat with a 1000-hour chilling requirement — the group most at risk as winters warm.
The Çekişte olive: the Aegean's lesser-known oil cultivarÇekişte accounts for 1.5% of Turkey's olive trees — more widespread than Domat or Uslu, yet a cultivar whose name is almost never heard.
The Çelebi olive: the green table cultivar of İznikGrown around İznik in Bursa, Çelebi is a green table cultivar. Its oil content is lower than Gemlik's — which is no drawback for a table olive.
Rooting olive cuttings: 30 of 133 wild olives made itIn Hassa, Hatay, 133 wild olive genotypes were rooted from cuttings and only 30 cleared the 50% threshold. Rooting depends on the genotype, not the technique.
The Çilli olive: large fruit, low chilling requirementAt 6.90 g it ranks among the large-fruited cultivars, and sits in the low chilling-requirement group — second only to Adana Topağı.
İzmir Sofralık oliveİzmir Sofralık is a recorded variety of the Aegean. Described in the source.

Analysis and sector 27

Fourth in the world with 25 registrations — but what are they doing?Türkiye is fourth in the world with 25 olive oil GIs. Yet exports fetch $3.17/kg — the product is still priced as a commodity.
Alternate bearing: one year yes, one year noOlive oil output can swing from 40,000 to 200,000 tonnes. Why alternate bearing happens, how it breaks prices and exports, and how its amplitude can be reduced.
Was it six times? Seven years of the table olive gapHow many times the oil price does a table olive fetch? Over seven years the ratio ranged 1.43 to 3.46, never below 1.
The same olive, six times the price: the quiet advantage of table olivesHow much more does the same fruit fetch as a table olive than for oil? Measured over seven years of exchange data: 1.43 to 3.46 times.
Tree to shelf: the olive oil value chain in six stopsFrom fruit on the tree to bottle on the shelf: how much the price multiplies at each step, and where the added value stays.
The energy burned at the field edge: olive pruning residueOne olive tree yields 33.6 kg of prunings a year. Across 177.8 million trees that is 6 million tonnes of residue and 54.11 PJ of energy — equivalent to 1.57 billion m³ of natural gas.
What does a kilo of olives cost? The cost sheet of 152 Aegean farmsLand rent is 37.70% of cost, harvest 16.90%. In table olives 73% of processing cost is rejected fruit; in oil, 94% is the fruit itself.
Exchange volume is not the harvest: what the 2023 record actually recorded10,597 tonnes registered in 2023, down to 3,227 the next season. Harvest collapse or a change of channel? The data cannot tell them apart.
Twenty trees per decare, or 250? The density debate15-25 trees per decare in Türkiye, 200-300 in super-intensive systems. Payback falls from 15 years to 8 — but the densest is not the most profitable.
Rain in Andalusia, prices in Aydın: how Spain's drought set the price in TürkiyeSpain makes 40% of the world's olive oil. Its output halved in 2022/23 and Türkiye's euro price went from €2.70 to €6.95.
Early harvest: expensive or valuable? The arithmetic of yieldBelow 18% yield the raw material costs more than the bulk price. Early-harvest oil needs a 43% premium to break even.
The nameless olives of southeast Anatolia: Mardin, Şırnak and the pollinator problemKumçatı and Derik genotypes beat Ayvalık and Gemlik on flesh ratio. Yuvarlak halhalı sets only 0.43% of its flowers with its own pollen.
The economics of caliber: how fruit size triples the price160 TL at caliber 18, 55 TL at caliber 41. Fruit size is price — and the cooperative pays 16% above the exchange average.
Vegetation water and pomace: olive oil's waste problemProcessing 1.5–2 million tonnes of olives yields 1 million tonnes of vegetation water and 1 million tonnes of pomace. Waste, or resource?
Marmarabirlik purchase prices: what the grower actually receives in MarmaraThe 2025/2026 season: 160 ₺ for calibre 18, 55 ₺ for calibre 41, 53 ₺ for oil fruit. Size alone changes the price 2.9×, and the union buys down to calibre 41 where the market stops at 28.
Oleotourism: a grove's second incomeWhat is olive oil tourism, how does it work elsewhere, and why has it not developed in Türkiye? Oleotourism, from the literature.
Olive oil trade in the Ottoman Empire: Britain the buyer, the crop the price25,627 tonnes exported in 1889 at 23.54 lira a tonne; 9,022 tonnes in 1882 at 42.89. The crop-price inverse held a century ago too.
The gap between extra virgin and riviera is only 4% at wholesaleAt wholesale, extra virgin is only 4-23% dearer than cooking oil; the seven-year average is 13%. The shelf gap comes from packaging.
Is Turkish olive oil cheap? Fourteen months against EuropeTurkish and European olive oil prices compared in one currency. How wide is the gap, and is it currency or market?
Structural problems of Turkish olive growing157 million trees but 5% of world output: low yield, old trees, harvest mechanisation, missing data, the support gap and informality.
From olive to oil: the price gap, 2019-2026The gap between a kilo of olives and a kilo of oil, measured from exchange registrations. Why it widens, and who gains.
Olive groves and mining: the legislative record from Law 3573 to Law 7554A dated record of the rules opening olive groves to mining: Article 20 of Law 3573, the March 2022 regulation and its annulment by the Council of State, and Law 7554 in force since 24 July 2025. Impact estimates are set against the national total and one circulating figure is fact-checked.
Felling an olive grove: the arithmetic of a ten-year decisionThe ten-year cost of clearing a grove for another crop: establishment, years to bearing and forgone income, per decare.
Did olive oil go up 13.5 times, or 1.6 times?Up 13.5 times in lira, 1.6 times in euros. The same 1,257 registrations, each converted at its own day's ECB rate.
The real price of olive oil: the inflation-adjusted calculationThe lira price rose 11.5-fold, inflation 7.6-fold. The real increase is 1.56-fold — and it matches the euro-based calculation.
Two thirds of our exports are table olives: the $260 million pictureIn 2025-26, 66% of exports were table olives and 27% oil. Average unit value $3.17/kg — the added value sits inside the packaging.
Climate change and the olive: the tree survives, but will it crop?The olive is drought-hardy but works in narrow bands. 85% of Türkiye's groves are unirrigated, 75% on mountainous land.

Plant protection 11

Verticillium wilt: the disease that kills the tree and has no cureThe olive tree disease that kills: it survives over 10 years in the soil, blocks the vessels, and has no effective chemical control.
Weeds in the olive grove: bare soil is not the goalJohnson grass, Bermuda grass and fat hen. With perennials, ill-timed tillage spreads them while mowing stops the seed. Clean under the canopy, covered between rows.
Olive knot: galls, warts and a bacterium that enters through woundsThe bacterial canker among olive tree diseases that enters through wounds: galls and warts. Pole harvest and pruning errors spread it.
The olive moth: three generations, three kinds of damageThe olive pest with three generations: it winters in the leaf, eats the flowers, enters the fruit. One larva can take 30-40 buds.
Olive peacock spot: symptoms and a region-by-region spray calendarThe commonest of olive tree diseases: concentric rings on the leaf, shedding, a shrubby tree. Yield falls 20-25%; spray timing varies by region.
Olive black scale and sooty mould: the H on its backThe olive pest behind sooty mould: a scale with an H on its back. Losses of 60-70%; if parasitism tops 50%, do not spray.
The olive fruit fly: sting thresholds, traps and a control calendarThe olive pest that costs most: losses of 15-30% if left alone. Sting threshold 1% for table varieties, 3-4% for oil.
Olive anthracnose: the disease of the mummified fruit left on the branchUp to 50% crop loss in bad years. The source is last year's mummified fruit still on the branch, and the spray goes on before the autumn rains, not after.
Nutrient deficiencies in olive: from symptom to elementThe same yellowing can mean nitrogen, magnesium, zinc or iron, and the wrong element makes it worse. Standard leaf analysis values, symptom-to-element matching and the boron schedule.
Other olive pests: jasmine moth, psyllid and olive scaleThree olive pests overshadowed by the fruit fly: the jasmine moth on tender shoots, the cottony psyllid, and olive scale.
Olive root rots: Armillaria and RoselliniaMistaking the yellowing for drought is the common error. Two soil-borne fungi kill the tree in its prime; there is no chemical cure — the work is water management and isolation.

Olive oil 10

Which olive oil is the best quality?The three measures that decide olive oil quality: grade, acidity and harvest year, plus how to read a label.
How Cold-Pressed Olive Oil Is MadeFrom tree to bottle: washing, crushing, malaxation and separation. Why the temperature must stay below 27°C.
Extra Virgin, Virgin, Riviera: Olive Oil Grades ExplainedWhat do 'extra virgin', 'riviera' and 'refined' mean on the label? The difference lies in the production method and acidity.
Olive OilThe difference between extra virgin, virgin, refined and riviera; what acidity means, how cold pressing works and how to store oil.
How to Read an Olive Oil LabelGrade, harvest year, acidity, origin and bottling place: which statements on a label are binding and which are just marketing — with a quick checklist.
Olive Oil Prices: Week 35 of 2026Turkish exchange prices, European producer prices and exchange rates side by side: extra virgin at 300 TL/kg in Edremit, Spain's national average €3.52/kg.
How to Store Olive OilLight, heat, air and time — the four enemies of olive oil. Why the bottle next to your stove is in the worst possible place.
What Does Acidity Mean in Olive Oil?The 0.3% or 0.8% on the label has nothing to do with sour taste. Acidity tells you the condition of the fruit before pressing.
Olive Oil Fraud and Adulteration: How It Is Done and How It Is CaughtSeed oil blending, refined oil sold as extra virgin, soft deodorisation… The economics of fraud, the laboratory methods, and the home tests that do not work.
How to Tell Good Olive OilBitterness is a mark of quality, not a defect. Colour tells you nothing. The three attributes tasting panels look for, and a simple test at home.

Health and nutrition 11

What Is the Mediterranean Diet?Not a weight-loss plan but a pattern of eating. The basics of the Mediterranean way of eating, recognised by UNESCO, and where olive oil sits within it.
Which olive is healthiest?In olives the health difference comes from curing and salt, not the variety: nutrition, salt content and green vs black.
How Much Olive Oil a Day?Olive oil being healthy does not make it unlimited. A practical look at portions, calories and the logic of replacement.
How many olives should you eat a day? Portions, salt and common questionsCalories, fat and salt in olives: what is a sensible daily amount? Based on nutrition data, without unauthorised health claims.
Oleocanthal and PolyphenolsWhy does a good extra virgin oil sting the throat? That sensation is not a flaw but the mark of a measurable compound.
Olive pollen allergy: the quiet cause of May to JulyOlive pollen fills the air across western Türkiye from May to July. Bursa recorded 791 grains/m³ in one day over an 87-day season; 67.8% of pollen-sensitised patients in İzmir react to it.
The Nutritional Profile of OlivesWhat is actually in an olive? Fat, fibre, iron, vitamin E — and the salt you should not ignore.
Benefits of OliveThe nutritional profile of olives, polyphenols and salt content. No unauthorised health claims — only verifiable information, with sources.
Is Olive Oil Suitable for Frying?The most argued kitchen question. Smoke point is not the only measure; what really matters is how well the oil resists oxidation.
Olive Oil and Heart HealthWhy is Mediterranean cooking so often linked with cardiovascular health? Unsaturated fats, polyphenols, and replacing saturated fat.
What are the benefits of olive oil?Authorised claims, topics still under research and unproven claims kept apart — including the EFSA claim and PREDIMED.

History and culture 12

The History of the Olive in AnatoliaWhere did the olive come from, and when was it first cultivated in Anatolia? From the stone workshop at Klazomenai to today's Aegean groves.
The Olive Oil Trade in the Ancient WorldAmphorae, sea routes and a Roman hill made of broken jars: olive oil was one of the Mediterranean's first large-scale commodities.
The 43 olive oil workshops of Antiokheia: two thousand years of continuity in HatayForty-three ancient workshops documented across Antakya, Altınözü, Yayladağı and Samandağ map onto today's groves. Twenty-one sit on the Kuseyr Plateau — still Hatay's richest olive district.
Ayvalık and Edremit: Turkey's Olive HeartlandSoap works, oil mills and the population exchange of 1923. How a gulf built its identity on the olive.
The Olive in ReligionThe tree sworn by in the Qur'an, blended into the holy anointing oil of the Torah, and burned in the lamp. The olive holds a shared place in all three faiths.
Edremit's monumental olives: four old trees, measuredAt an estimated 1,100 years and a 7.20 m girth, Kavaktarla is Edremit's oldest olive. All four are hollowed and galled, none is registered, and the real threat is that they are still in production.
The olive in scripture and folk belief: verses, hadiths and mythsThe olive in scripture and folk narrative: what the sources actually say, and what is only tradition. Where there is no source, we say so.
The olive in mythology: from Athena's gift to Noah's doveFrom Athena's gift to the branch of peace: the olive in mythology, and which story rests on which source.
History of the Olive TreeFrom remains dated to 6000 BC to modern plantations: the olive tree's journey alongside humanity, and one of farming's longest stories.
Why Is the Olive Branch a Symbol of Peace?From the dove of the flood narrative to the emblem of the United Nations: how a tree branch has carried the same meaning for thousands of years.
History of the OliveThe olive was domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean some six thousand years ago. Traces in Anatolia, routes of spread and the birth of trade.
The History of Olive Oil SoapFrom Aleppo to Marseille, Castile to Ayvalık: how olive oil became soap, and how that trade built cities.

Recipes 43

Olive Brine Tonic (Non-alcoholic)A savoury, alcohol-free take on the Dirty Martini: olive brine, tonic and lemon.
Virgin Mary with OlivesThe alcohol-free counterpart of the Bloody Mary: tomato juice, spices and olive brine.
Dirty MartiniThe classic olive cocktail: gin, dry vermouth and olive brine, garnished with green olives.
Fava (Broad Bean Purée)A purée of dried broad beans with dill and olive oil, set in the fridge and served in slices.
Focaccia con OliveLiguria's best-loved bread: focaccia made with plenty of olive oil and olives, soft within and crisp without.
Roast Chicken Thighs with OlivesA one-tray dinner: chicken thighs, potatoes, olives and lemon roasted together.
Gazpacho con Aceite de OlivaAndalusia's cold soup: ripe tomato, cucumber and olive oil — the most cooling dish of a hot summer.
Cretan Meze (Girit Ezmesi)The Aegean meze of white cheese, walnuts and herbs, loosened with olive oil and lemon.
Horiatiki (Greek Village Salad)Greece's national salad: Kalamata olives, ripe tomato, cucumber and a whole slab of feta. Plain, and exactly right.
Chicken with Lemon and Green OlivesA Tuscan classic: chicken browned in olive oil, then brought together slowly with green olives and lemon.
Marinated OlivesThe easiest way to turn plain brined olives into a meze overnight: olive oil, lemon zest, garlic and oregano.
Pan con Tomate with OlivesCatalonia's morning ritual: bread rubbed with garlic, grated tomato and a generous pour of olive oil.
Iced Olive Leaf TeaA summer drink from leaves left over after pruning: cold-brewed, with lemon and mint.
Spaghetti alla PuttanescaNaples' bold pasta: black olives, capers, anchovy and tomato — all in twenty minutes.
Turkish Olive SpreadThe black olive spread of the breakfast table, with walnuts, garlic and olive oil.
Olive Tapenade & BruschettaThe best-loved spread of the Mediterranean: a tapenade of black olives, capers and anchovy, met with grilled bread.
Open Olive Flatbread (Pide)Black Sea style open flatbread topped with black olives, cheese and oregano — the smell fills the house as it bakes.
Bloody Mary with OlivesTomato juice, spices and vodka, garnished with olives, celery and lemon.
Beef Casserole with OlivesBeef slow-cooked with black olives and tomato; better the next day.
Olive BreadAn Aegean bakery classic: a loaf kneaded with black olives and olive oil, crisp outside and soft within.
Hummus with OlivesChickpea purée topped with olive oil and chopped olives; with bread or vegetables.
Lamb Casserole with OlivesLamb cooked slowly with green olives, lemon and rosemary — a Mediterranean casserole classic.
Potato Salad with OlivesA light potato salad without mayonnaise, dressed with olive oil and lemon; green olives and capers bring the salt.
Tuna Casserole with Green OlivesA Basque casserole: fresh tuna, green olives and spices cooked slowly in olive oil.
Savoury Olive CakeA breakfast cake bringing together brined olives and olive oil — a Turkish take on the Italian savoury cake tradition.
Şakşuka with OlivesThe classic aubergine, pepper and tomato meze, with black olives folded in.
Broad Beans in Olive OilSpring's first olive-oil dish: young broad beans cooked in their pods, finished with garlic yoghurt.
Okra in Olive OilOkra rested in vinegar to cut the sliminess, then cooked slowly with tomato and onion.
Borlotti Beans in Olive Oil (Pilaki)Borlotti beans cooked with carrot, potato and tomato; the texture settles as it cools, served with lemon.
Stuffed Peppers in Olive OilPeppers filled with rice, currants and pine nuts — a classic eaten cold.
Samphire in Olive OilThe salty shore plant of the Aegean and Mediterranean: blanched and dressed with garlic, olive oil and lemon.
Artichokes in Olive OilA spring classic of the Turkish kitchen: artichokes braised in olive oil with peas and carrot, served at room temperature.
Artichoke Heart Salad with OlivesA five-minute meze: artichoke hearts, black olives and a lemon-olive oil dressing.
Spinach in Olive OilSpinach cooked with rice; with garlic yoghurt or lemon, warm or cold.
Stuffed Courgette Flowers in Olive OilThe Aegean's most delicate dolma: courgette flowers filled with spiced rice and cooked gently.
Celeriac in Olive OilThe favourite winter dish in olive oil: celeriac, carrot and peas cooked in lemony water, served cool with dill.
Cabbage Rolls in Olive OilThe winter roll: blanched cabbage leaves around spiced rice, cooked with lemon.
Leeks in Olive OilThe winter olive-oil dish: leeks brought to a gentle sweetness with carrot and rice.
Purslane in Olive OilSummer's lightest olive-oil dish: purslane cooked with rice, eaten with garlic yoghurt.
Green Beans in Olive OilThe most classic of the Turkish olive-oil dishes: green beans cooked down with tomato and onion, eaten cool.
Olive Oil Whisky SourA modern recipe that brings olive oil into a cocktail: the oil is combined with whisky in the cold, then strained off.
Stuffed Vine Leaves in Olive OilThe head of the olive-oil dishes: rice filling rolled in vine leaves, cooked slowly with lemon and olive oil. Served cold.
İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Aubergines in Olive Oil)The best-known of all olive-oil dishes: aubergines stuffed with onion and tomato, baked slowly.