If you buy olives (table olives and kalamata olives) in bulk, these guidelines will ensure they stay fresh over time.
- Always use a fresh, clean slotted spoon to extract the olives from the container.
- Ensure the olives are not exposed to air, keep them under the brine. If the brine gets low, cover with a small quantity of olive oil (it sits on the top of the brine) to seal them from the air. Kalamata olives darken with exposure to oxygen, so if you put them in a bowl for a while before serving, they will darken and go blacker before your eyes!
- Keep them sealed and in a cool, dark place. If you put them in the fridge, the oil may congeal (this looks white). Warm up to room temperature prior to serving and the oil will become liquid again.
- You should not eat olives if they develop a mould on the top.
