Thank God, right before they all went funky and shriveled from the cold, Elise and I were able to grab the last of the olives. Apparently the bulk of the olives had been plucked by smarter more experienced olive pickers.
I love olives, adore them in fact. Their salty briney meat is just so delicious, so it makes sense that I've been wanting to attempt to cure them.
However, I didn't anticipate that picking them would be so much fun. All bundled up, fighting the freezing wind, we all started to climb trees in ways we hadn't since we were children. Scrambling up the trees, trying to balance ourselves, and reaching in every way and position to grab those olives that any yoga teacher would be proud. We did have to snap a branch or two off, but we saw it as a well needed pruning rather than destruction of public property and a local park.
Now they'll be covered with heavy layers of rock salt in an old pillow case so they can brine and cure. In a few weeks we'll have olives ready for the eating. Maybe I'll marinate some with some lemon peel and red pepper flakes in olive oil. Have any of you had any experience curing olives or marinating them or whatnot?
I was lucky enough to head down to Napa with Elise to see Carl and Ashley at Quixote Winery. It was an awesome and educational experience ripe with... olives! Tasty, tasty olives. Afterwards, a lunch with good food and great people in a breathtaking space.