Cathy Isom has olive the reasons the celebrate the first day of June. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
It’s a new month and another reason to celebrate one of the world’s oldest fruits…known as the olive. Every year on June 1st, America celebrates National Olive Day.
The olive is part of a traditional meze/tapas culinary experience that brings families and friends around the table to share time together rather than in a kitchen. The olive branch is a symbol of peace, hope, love and friendship. Celebrating National Olive Day is a fun way to acknowledge the joy this little fruit provides.
Olives are used in many ways. We find them in cocktails and loaves of bread. We eat them whole as snacks, use them as toppings, include them on relish trays and even use them as a garnish for many foods, like tacos or in that infamous 7-layer dip. They are one of the most versatile foods we eat and a great addition to any party tray.
They belong to a group of fruit called drupes, or stone fruits. They are related to mangoes, cherries, peaches, almonds and pistachios. Olives are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants. Studies show that they are good for the heart, and may protect against osteoporosis and cancer. The healthy fats in olives are extracted to produce extra virgin olive oil, one of the key components of the incredibly healthy Mediterranean diet.
California produces 95% of all olives in the United States.
To celebrate National Olive Oil Day take photos of your favorite way to eat olives and post them on social media using #nationaloliveday.
I’m Cathy Isom…
Learn more about Olive Oil at National Olive Oil Association.