Olive addiction, anyone else?

[RvW]

I dont think Ive tried an olive I dont like (with exception to the most common "black olives" or the green pimento stuffed things that are not olives if you ask me)
I eat a jar of olives every other day. Mostly garlic stuffed, sevallano olives. but I recently tried a jar of turkish olives with habanero, jelapeno and whatever...oh man! My eyes swelled shut. Good stuff. But not a daily snack. Favorite is anchovy stuffed, theyre tasty or blue cheese stuffed, sun dried tomato stuffed? Too many olives, not enough time.
I had a neighbor in Bandon years ago who ordered olives direct from an importer/whole-saler in NY who got me hooked on these things. She made an incredible olive salad, and some heavenly kalamata tapanade with garlic and herbs and this and that (Ill post a recipe)
I cannot eat a sandwich without black olive tapanade. Especially when its a genoa cracked black pepper salami, mortadella or capicola sandwhich on a sourdough bagette with fresh handrolled mozzerella (oh yeah) whole basil leaves, thick sliced roma tomotoes...ceasar dressing.....oh man.
I find myself craving these things ALL the TIME
Trader Joes and Metro market seem to have the best selection, but Joes seems to change their inventory without notice. And metro markets are few and far between.

Who else has an unhealthy olive habit?
Where do you get them and what do you like the best?
NNNNeed more olive sources!
...and some co-dependants.

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Dude, the jalapano & garlic stuffed are awesome....

They don't last long around my house.....

[3riversBob]

I only eat olives that I can put on the ends of all my fingers. Usually giant black ones.

Bob

[Irish Pennant]

Funny you brought this up, I was getting the taste for some habanero stuffed olives and so I went to the Olive Pit's web site and found out that they will mail order. Now to decide what other olives and olive oils to get.

[Reel_Big_Fish]

Man...I must not be living right. I haven't had any of those. They sure sound good though!

[D.B.Cooper]

I dont care as long as it's sitting in a martini.

[Wang]

I've bought a few jars of the garlic stuffed and habanero stuffed olives at a couple fairs I've been to. They are very tasty and somewhat addicitive. Make a batch of martinis and enjoy.

[Artwo]

My daughter loves black olives and when she was real little she would put them on the ends of all her fingers, as most kids do. The funny part was, when she wanted some instead of calling them olives she would ask for fingers .

We still call them fingers at our house...............

My favorite are garlic stuffed and jalepino stuffed, yum yum.........

[Leader shy]

Give these a try sometime http://www.graberolives.com/

[RvW]

Originally Posted by D.B.Cooper

I dont care as long as it's sitting in a martini.

So a D. B. Cooper martini would be:

Columbia riverwater, and any ole olive?
(olive optional)

I hear your first one cost you around 5 grand.




.

[Snakebite]

[quote=Row Vs. Wade;1326799]
My eyes swelled shut.quote]

I have found that the things you most desire, are the things you should avoid. They tend to be negative to your being....well, except for chocolate and fishing & hunting.

[lingslayer]

RvW,
Stay out of Corning, Ca. You are liable to go broke!

[Seefood Man]

RvW I really like those anchovy stuffed olives the "Garlic Lady" sold but they are getting real skimpy on the anchovies and even some olives in the battle don't have any at all. Where do you get yours? They go good with oysters on the half shell . On the other side where do you find the
fresh handrolled mozzarella out here. Man I love that stuff, so PLEASE send me with a pm with your connection's address.
Thanks Pete

[RvW]

Pete, deep breaths, I know what your going through.
First off, the oak tree doesnt have 'em!

Its hit or miss at Trader Joes for anchovy stuffed olives. Youll have to go to Vancouver or Portland to find a Joes, or any store with gourmet foods.
Theres online sources though, lots of them, but looking through them, most are expensive compared to what joes has sold, or theyre not made with the olives I want. But heres a web retailer I am going to try. http://www.dibruno.com/Detail.bok?no=610
They sell one pound jars of hand stuffed olives for $12 bucks which isnt cheap but its cheap by comparison. Volume orders go down in price.


As for the fresh mozzarella, you might get lucky and find it at safeway there in Woodland with all the other specialty cheeses or maybe somewhere near the ricotta.
Ive got the fresh ovolini or bocconcino there many times, but believe it or not, 1 out of 3 times it is OUT OF DATE.
Trust me, you want to check the date on the tub. Speaking of tub, its in a white or clear round tub with spring water... usually with a lid that has the italian colors white, green, red.
If you strike out in the specialty cheese display case (it wil have brie and other stuff in it) go to the deli and look through the salads, safeway has been making a fresh mozza and tomato salad lately with ciliegine (its ok, but I go to the olive bar and get a good selection of olives to mix in it.) I doubt they use a good quality olive oil in the mozzarela/tomato salad, and they sometimes over do it on the herbs.
Ask them to serve you with a serated spoon. The marinates in the olive bar is much better.
If they dont have any ofrm of fresh mozzarella, ask the manager to GET some. Tell him/her that other safeways have it, they should too.

Safeway also used to carry a few different tapanades, but I see theyve ruduced thier inventory to the green olive variety in many locations which is pretty tasty, but I like the kalamata stuff a lot more. It will be with the other olives, or sometimes near the olive bar or with the flavored oils and specialty vinegars.
It is spendy enough to consider reading the ingredients and making your own. Its easy with a food processor. Ive made it, and either added chopped anchovies, or in some cases, anchovy paste when thats all ive got leftover from making ceasar dressing.

[Jennie@ifish]

When Andrew worked at Safeway, he told me that the olive bar is just the jars off the shelf, put into a display case.

I just bought a neat selection in shrink wrap at Costco. Andrew and I love them. I can't wait to break it open and try them!

All different kinds! YUM!

J

[RvW]

Originally Posted by Jennie@ifish

When Andrew worked at Safeway, he told me that the olive bar is just the jars off the shelf, put into a display case.

Wouldnt surprise me in TIllamook.
Ive seen the olive bar restocked from 2 gallon barrel like containers. With odd foriegn emblems and aluminum seals.
Most of them are pretty good.