the beauty that is the kalamata olive.

[ulysses]

(These days I get my satisfaction however I can, ok? ;-) )

[LuLu550]

1. You made me hungry....

mmmm life's simple pleasures.

[bluedeminredstate]

2. The Rolls Royce

of olives.

Wish I had a few to munch on now. Oh so salty, bitteresweet and meaty...

[ulysses]

3. got a pizza coming out of the oven soon

bearing a few handfuls of the little lovelies. A friend of ours just got back from her honeymoon in Italy and brought us a bottle of chianti - enjoying a nip and a nosh now.

[cmd]

4. Better than chocolate!

My store deli has just opened an olive section. That is one of my first stops on shopping day. I love those salty gems.

[The empressof all]

5. Oh Yes!

I love to chop them up with tomatoes, basil, a little garlic and olive oil. Smear it on some crusty bread---Oh my!

[Hornito]

6. A dish of kalamatas, some thin sliced prosciutto, a hunk of

provolone or assiago, some nice chewy peasant style Italian bread (the kind with big holes!) served with a dish of virgin olive oil, splashed with balsamic vinegar and herbs, all washed down with a nice "cellar temp" glass of Syrah or Cabernet.

That was my favorite lunch when I lived in Napa. Hell, it's my favorite lunch no matter where I'm living!

[Teddy_Salad]

7. They are truly beautiful

I love 'em.

[seaglass]

8. I have developed an olive addiction over the last 3 weeks.

I have olives almost every day for lunch (although today I had fig newtons because I ran out of olives).

It all started because I was trying to discover the kind of olive that Bertucci's puts in the middle of their pizza. I still haven't figured it out, but I'm learning to love all kinds of olives.