"Throubes" olives from Crete

Thrubes are a variety of black olives that are left to ripen completely on the tree until they dry naturally , often until December or January .

• Appearance : Small, wrinkled , with thin skin.

• Taste : Intense, bittersweet, slightly salty , often slightly smoky or earthy . Not at all like classic black olives in brine.

• Preparation : They can be eaten raw after picking (quite rare for an olive!) because oleuropein , the bitter compound in olives, is naturally degraded in this variety.

• Often they are just rolled in salt , sometimes flavored with local herbs or a drizzle of olive oil.