[EBOOK] PRODUCING TABLE OLIVES, Stan Kailis and David Harris, Published by LAND LINK

The origin of the cultivated olive tree lies rooted to legend and tradition. It started about 5000-6000 years ago within a wide strip of land by the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The oldest reference to the olive tree in the Bible occurs in its first book, Genesis, where the flight of the dove with the olive branch announcing the end of the flood is described. Numerous Mediterranean civilisations - Phoenicians, Greeks, Hebrews and Romans -contributed to expand olive tree cultivation all around the Mediterranean Sea.

Myths, legends, customs, history, literature, cuisine, medicine and economy have always been related to the sacred tree of the Mediterranean. Greek and Spanish cultures were especially linked to it and many published references to the olive tree well illustrate these ties. The National Archaeological Museum in Madrid has a Greek vase dated circa 350 BC, on which is depicted the dispute between Pallas Athene and Poseidon over the name that should be given to what was to become Athens. The goddess made an olive tree sprout from the earth, winning from Poseidon the right to give her name to the recently founded colony of Attica. The olive tree was cultivated in the Guadalquivir Valley by pre-Roman people. Strabo writes that the olive plantations of the Baetica (the actual Andalusia) were admirably tended. The oldest written reference on how to prepare table olives is from the first century text by Lucious junius Moderatus Columela (42 BC), De re rustica. The book is a detailed report on agricultural practices and food processing, and describes various methods of preparing olives for eating. His instructions give an idea of just how old the tradition is in Andalusia: ‘Throw into a modius of olives a sextary of mature aniseed and mastic-tree oil and three cyati of fennel seed; in default of this last, the amount of chopped fennel that seems sufficient. Then mix with each modious of olives three heminae of ungrounded toasted salt, place the olives in amphoras and cover them with fennel.’ The tradition has continued for centuries and Seville is the largest table olive producer in the world.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish colonisers spread olive plantings to the New World (South and North America). A book, dated 1530, tells that all ships bound for the Indies should transport at least a few olive samplings: ‘Henceforth all ships’ captains travelling to the Indies shall take in their vessels the amount of wine and olive plants they see fit, but none shall leave without at least some on board.’ Spain was thus contributing to the universal fate of olive culture. The olive tree was introduced to Australia at the beginning of the 19th century.

Myths and pagan or religious customs are also tied to the olive tree and to the oil that oozes from its fruit. The olive was the traditional food of Mediterraneans, and, according to Ovid in his Metamorphoses, was also the food of gods. Baucis prepared a meal based on the fruit of the olive for Jupiter and Mercury. The Roman breakfast, or ientaculum, consisted of bread with oil and garlic, an ancestral ritual repeated today in so many parts around the Mediterranean Sea.

Olive branches have always been a sign of peace, reconciliation and pacification. In human history, the olive is associated with the noblest acts of society and with tender images; simple yet imposing. They have been used to honour heroes, exalt the virtues of great men, reward excellence in fine arts and symbolise peace. The olive tree has thus been related to the most noble and honourable feelings of the human being. Its fascination still continues all over the world and its current expansion through Argentina, Morocco and Australia is only a new step towards the conquest of new regions, towards a better understanding of civilisations.

In their book Producing Table OliveSy Professor Stanley Kailis and Dr David Harris are symbolising the combination of tradition, modernity and future development. It represents their particular adaptation of the Mediterranean olive culture from Greece, Turkey, Italy or Spain to new lands as an example of the contribution of classical processes, not only to philosophy or theatre but also to science and technology, that have lasted for centuries. The book may be, in fact, a tribute to ancestors through Professor Kailis’ grandmother Konstantinia, who introduced him to the table olive tradition.

Producing Table olives is a very complete manual for the elaboration of table olive products. Everything is thoroughly discussed and commented on. Step-by-step protocols are given for every subject covered. It introduces everybody into the olive business and guides them through planning the production of olives, starting to grow the olives, selecting olive varieties, establishing and maintaining the orchard, designing the processing plant for any kind of method, style or commercial presentation, and packing the product and controlling product quality and safety. From this point of view the book is useful to all olive growers and processors.

This book represents a very important tool for table olive development in Australia but it also may be useful for producers from other countries or regions because at the end, cultivars and processes are not so different from one place to another.

I am sure that Producing Table Olives represents a valuable contribution to the spreading of the olive-tree growing land and table olive production. I hope that time will confirm this impression. In short, some areas of Australia may be, like the actual Andalusia, ‘immense silver-green woods of olive trees, a land of light and gaiety, but also of grief and shadow, a land where the olive tree forms an authentic natural park".

Antonio Garrido Fcrnándcz

Instituto de la Grasa

Seville, Spain

[EBOOK] PRODUCING TABLE OLIVES, Stan Kailis and David Harris, Published by LAND LINK

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