(Wild olives are eaten and their seeds
dispersed mainly by birds, which swallow
them whole; mammals chew and damage
seeds.) Their bitterness has long been
moderated or removed by various curing
techniques (p. 295). The dark color of ripe
olives comes from purplish anthocyanin
pigments in the outer layer of the fruit.
Olive Oil
Among food oils, olive oil is unique for
being extracted not from a dry grain or nut,
but from a fleshy fruit, and for carrying the
prominent flavors of that fruit. The most
prized olive oils are sold unrefined and
shortly after harvest, as fresh as possible,
and are used more as a delicious, delicate
flavoring in their own right, not as a
medium in which to cook other
ingredients. Italy, France, and other
Mediterranean countries are the largest
producers and consumers.