Page 2 - James Harland

Our summer guide to the small but mighty olive, and the wealth of types to choose from today

It’s hard to imagine that one-upon-a-time in the UK your choice of olives amounted to green or black, or that the only way for pioneers such as cookery writer Elizabeth David (who did so much to popularise Mediterranean cuisine in Britain during the latter half of the 20th century) to buy olive oil was from a pharmacy (where it was sold as a remedy for removing ear wax). 

Back in the Mediterranean basin, olives (the small fruits that grow on the tree known botanically as Olea europaea) have been cultivated for at least 7000 years. Olives belong to a fruit group called drupes (or stone fruits) and, unlikely as it may seem, they’re related to cherries, peaches, pistachios and even mangoes. 

A key staple of the super-healthy Mediterranean diet, olives are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants, and studies have shown that they are good for the heart and may protect against osteoporosis

Our Top 10 of delicious and more unusual olive varieties 

As we’ve previously discussed, when it comes to olives, our culinary tastes in the UK have developed radically over the past decades, and today you don’t need to find a specialist delicatessen to discover exciting olive varieties - as even major supermarkets now compete to offer something new. 

However, beyond the jumbo Gordals, acid green Nocellaras and ubiquitous Spanish Manzanillas, importers and connoisseurs of this bitter fruit can offer some even more exciting and unusual olive options. 

So enjoy our Top 10 recommendations below, and drop us a line to discuss all your olive requirements and queries. 

1: Agrinion 

Cultivated in the Agrinion region of Greece around the sea to the west of the country, you may not have heard of this variety, even though they are the most popular in Greece after the world renown Kalamata. Agrinion olives are the medium to large fruit of the Conservolea tree, one of the oldest olive trees

Cool and refreshing natural cordials are perfect for hot summer days, and there are more than ever to choose from 

For decades the highly competitive UK drinks market has remained dominated by global giants, brands that have long since established themselves as household names. Yet in recent years, the likes of the Coca-Cola Co., Britvic and Red Bull have faced more market disruption than possibly any other sector of the food and drink industry (with the exception of the micro-brewery/craft beer trend that has challenged the major brewing company’s market share over a similar time period). 

With constantly changing consumer demands and preferences, more sophisticated purchase patterns and rapid changes in lifestyles, the global soft drink market is growing and mutating at ever-increasing speed. Three of the man drivers behind this evolution are a growing concern about consuming too much sugar (particularly refined), an increasing preference for ‘natural’ ingredients, and a broadening,