Supermarkets here have aisles full of olives of different flavours, pitted and unpitted; we can choose from plain black or green to olives flavoured and, or, filled with apples, peppers, anchovies…etc.
Olives seem to be one of those foods that people either love or detest. My wife, Andy can’t eat an olive without it leaving her feeling queasy for hours and hasn’t attempted to eat one since a disasterous attempt during a Greek holiday in 1995.
However, a wise old woman once told me a technique for eating olives which she guaranteed would convert those who tried it out from hating its bitter flavour to positively loving it. It’s simple, but it takes a bit of faith.
The Technique for Learning to Love the Olive
To begin the convertee needs five olives. Pitted would be best, it would be unfair to expect a convertee to deal with a stone as well.
1: Okay, this is the hardest step, pop the first olive in your mouth and get it down your throat as quickly as possible-yes it will make you want to heave and will leave a disgusting taste in your mouth (good things don’t come without a price).
2: It’ll go against all your instincts (especially after step 1), but pop number two in and do the same. Yes it will still taste digusting, but the urge to heave won’t be as strong (you’ve passed the hardest part).
3: Number three; you still won’t like it, but it won’t leave you feeling that your taste buds have been ruined for life.
4: You’re coming out of the woods. By the time this one goes down you’ll be thinking, ‘Hmmm, not bad. I don’t know why I’ve always made a fuss about these little fellows.’
5: Simple, as you’re munching on number five your hand will be instinctively reaching out for olive number 6…7…8…9… (well done, you’ve learned to love the olive).
Does this work? I haven’t a clue. I’ve always liked them anyway and I’ve never met anybody (including Andy) who can’t stomach the taste of olives, who would trust me enough to try it out!!
