Subject: Re: Preparing olives ... how?

From: [email-masked] (Jack Campin)
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 1994 20:03:05 GMT

"David Herron" <[email-masked]> wrote:
> I've heard that it is somewhat difficult to take olives from the tree and
> turn them into usable/edible stuff.  But I'm not sure where the difficulty
> might come from.  Gathering from other things I've read about there's gonna
> be two main steps:
> - Squeezing to extract olive oil.
> - `Canning' in a vinegar (and olive oil?) based solution.
> Can someone point me to books describing what to do?  They can be either
> modern or medieval books, I can read middle english with little trouble.

Olive processing in a Middle English text?... not bloody likely.  Mediaeval
Spanish, Italian or Arabic, maybe.

When were olives or olive oil first imported into Britain?  I'd guess the
19th century, and then only as an exotic luxury.

Has an olive tree ever fruited in Britain?

-- 
-- Jack Campin -- Room 1.36, Department of Computing & Electrical Engineering,
   Mountbatten Building, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS
TEL: 031 449 5111 ext 4195         HOME: 031 556 5272        FAX: 031 451 3431
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---

From: [email-masked] (Barry Shein)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 01:32:31 GMT

From: [email-masked] (Jack Campin)
>Has an olive tree ever fruited in Britain?

Isn't there some odd cove in Scotland where, due to some confluence of
the Gulf Stream etc, the weather is sub-tropical and palm trees and
the like thrive?

-- 
        -Barry Shein

Software Tool & Die    | [email-masked]          | uunet!world!bzs
Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202        | Login: 617-739-WRLD

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From: [email-masked] (Jack Campin)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 13:06:07 GMT

[email-masked] (Barry Shein) wrote:
> Isn't there some odd cove in Scotland where, due to some confluence of the
> Gulf Stream etc, the weather is sub-tropical and palm trees and the like
> thrive?

This is the way the urban legend usually has it.  In fact there are palm
trees at lots of places on the west coast of Scotland.  Generations of
school geography textbooks to the contrary, it isn't the Gulf Stream that
does it.  It's the North Atlantic Deep Water, I think; a much bigger and
more energetic current discovered in recent decades - the Gulf Stream is a
trickle by comparison.  [ calling any oceanographers out there... ]

What this mainly shows is that palm trees are surprisingly tough.  "Sub-
tropical" it might have looked to a Viking raider, but not to anyone who's
ever been to a real sub-tropical region.  I've never seen an olive tree in
Scotland; I suppose they might barely cling on to life given a fair bit of
pampering, but that would be all.  They need a lot more sun than we get and
I'd be surprised if they could stand either most Scottish soils or the
wetness of Western Scotland.

Followups redirected to alt.folklore.urban and alt.folklore.science.

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From: [email-masked] (Jennifer L. Wike)
Date: 7 Mar 1994 17:01:50 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Barry
Shein) wrote:

>Actually, I think this is on the southern coast of Ireland.

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From: [email-masked] (Nick Maclaren)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 18:12:18 GMT

>19th century, and then only as an exotic luxury.

I would guess the first century, by the Romans, and possibly earlier.
Remember that olive oil was a very important medical product.  Your guess
as to the culinary use in Britain may well be correct.

>Has an olive tree ever fruited in Britain?

Yes, in Lord Mount Egdcumbe's garden near Plymouth (according to Bean).
It could probably be got to fruit reliably (if erratically) in the Scilly
islands, though clearly not as a commercial crop.

Nick Maclaren
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street,
Cambridge CB2 3QG, England.
Email:  [email-masked]
Tel.:   +44 223 334761
Fax:    +44 223 334679

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From: [email-masked] (Sharen A. Rund)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 20:27:11 GMT

David Herron ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Greetings!

: There's this olive tree nearby which I noticed the olives are falling off of.
:  This indicates to me that they're quite likely RIPE.

: I've heard that it is somewhat difficult to take olives from the tree and
: turn them into usable/edible stuff.  But I'm not sure where the difficulty
: might come from.  Gathering from other things I've read about there's gonna
: be two main steps:

I found some simple steps in LaRousse Gastronomique <sp?>

using a fork, pierce the olives
pour table salt over the concoction
cover (I used tupperware so I could seal, cover, & drain quite easily)
shake up the mixture (several times a day)
pour off the liquid that accumulates (daily)
after 5-7 days, taste to see if the "bitter" taste is gone
when it is, drain & rinse
put into jars with oil, garlic
seal tightly & refrigerate
they'll keep in the fridge for quite some time

: - Squeezing to extract olive oil.

: - `Canning' in a vinegar (and olive oil?) based solution.

: Can someone point me to books describing what to do?  They can be either
: modern or medieval books, I can read middle english with little trouble.

: Oh yeah.  This tree is IN a major commuting area (It is on San Antonio Road
: in Mtn View, near the intersection with US 101).  Obviously the fruit must
: be washed off very strenuously before putting up.  Is it likely that can be
: successfully done?

: How do I tell how quickly to get the fruit off the tree?

: 	Thanks,

: 	David

: (known in these current middle ages as: David le Casse', Leveret Pursuivant).

--
____________    __      ____________  "They that can give up essential
\_____     /   /_ \     \     _____/  liberty to obtain a little
 \_____    \____/  \____/    _____/  temporary safety deserve
  \_____                    _____/  neither liberty nor safety."
     \___________  ___________/          --Benjamin Franklin
               /    \           ALL disclaimers apply ....
               ~~~~~~

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From: [email-masked] (Sharen A. Rund)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 20:22:34 GMT

Jack Campin ([email-masked]) wrote:
: "David Herron" <[email-masked]> wrote:
: > I've heard that it is somewhat difficult to take olives from the tree and
: > turn them into usable/edible stuff.  But I'm not sure where the difficulty
: > might come from.  Gathering from other things I've read about there's gonna
: > be two main steps:
: > - Squeezing to extract olive oil.
: > - `Canning' in a vinegar (and olive oil?) based solution.
: > Can someone point me to books describing what to do?  They can be either
: > modern or medieval books, I can read middle english with little trouble.

: Olive processing in a Middle English text?... not bloody likely.  Mediaeval
: Spanish, Italian or Arabic, maybe.

why not, weren't the Romans on the Isles????

: When were olives or olive oil first imported into Britain?  I'd guess the
: 19th century, and then only as an exotic luxury.

again, the oil at least, probably entered England during the Holy Roman 
Empire times.....

then there was the French invasion & they like olive oil too.....

and the Spanish........

and.......

: Has an olive tree ever fruited in Britain?

: -- 
: -- Jack Campin -- Room 1.36, Department of Computing & Electrical Engineering,
:    Mountbatten Building, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS
: TEL: 031 449 5111 ext 4195         HOME: 031 556 5272        FAX: 031 451 3431
: INTERNET: [email-masked]   BITNET: via UKACRL   BANG!net: via mcsun & uknet

---

From: [email-masked] (Iain G Liddell)
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 14:13:18 GMT

>> Isn't there some odd cove in Scotland where, due to some confluence of
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	       I always thought Jack WAS the odd cove in Scotland :-)  :-)

	       Sorry, Jack - couldn't resist. No doubt you'll get your
	       own back sometime.

	       Iain