Without fail every time I eat an olive, at some point, I ask myself (or whoever happens to be with me at the time), who was brave enough to figure out how to consume olives? Well of course we know that answer don’t we? It was the Syrians and Palestinians over 6,000 years ago and they were just trying to make something that they had in abundance edible. They brined the Olives until they could consume them without dying from dehydration after a bad bout of food poisoning. But I can’t help but thank their relentless persistence to find sustenance because, damn, do I love a good olive. And with the Olive you’ve got to have some pickles, break up that salt with some acid right? Like these pickled red onions I had in Skane, Sweden. When I’m planning a picnic I know I am going to need something brined and something pickled, call me a Pacific Northwestern hipster, but this is one thing Portlandia definitely got right!
Pairings: For a picnic once again I am going to have to suggest a great iced tea and this time I’m going herbal, this Yogi Egyptian Licorice tea is Spicy and sweet and will do a great job of balancing out the palate with such strong flavors.