Used mainly as finger foods, olives can also be used in salads, spreads, and breads, and make a great visual and flavor accent in meat, grain, and vegetable dishes. Olives are also a familiar topping on pizza. For more flavor, substitute pitted Kalamata olives for the black olive rings that typically appear on pizza.

Olives are one of the few fruits that are not enjoyed in their raw state.

The flavor of an olive depends upon its variety, the climate and soil where it’s grown, the time of harvest, and the curing method—and also whether it was processed whole, cracked, or pitted. Experiment with the many different varieties of olives available to discover which ones you like best.