The most famous olive in the world as raisin! The olives are processed naturally, by letting them drying out under the greek sun.Thus, their taste is more concentrated and full! An additional advantage is that we can keep them for months as they are. We just add a little bit of oil if we feel their skin harder than usual.
Extra tip: They are easily transported even on long journeys. They are packaged either in a safe container with their liquid, or in bags sealed with vacuum.
HISTORY "FROM GOLD" BEHIND THE PRODUCT
The olive tree of Kalamata has been declared in a "Preserved Monument of Nature" in an effort of the Greek state to recognize its special importance as an element of our heritage.The main aim was to highlight the key position that monumental olive trees and their materialistic and symbolic manifestations consist a natural and cultural heritage as weII.
Historically, olive cultivation is estimated to have started 7,000 years ago. The researches found olive fossils in the Greek area with the impressive age of 50,000 - 60,000 years. According to Greek mythology, the olive tree of the Acropolis was planted by the Goddess Athena herself and is part of the founding myth of Athens. Legend has it that Athena and Poseidon argued over the control of Athens, and so Zeus proposed a contest between them, deeming that city would be a prize to the winner. Poseidon went first and raised his trident, smashing it on a rock of the Acropolis, thus, producing salt water. Athena went second and offered an olive tree, a gift the citizens of Athens deemed useful and beautiful; therefore, she became the patron of the city, which was named after her.
Regarding the Kalamata olives in particular, palynological data reveal that intensive cultivation of olive trees took place in Messinia during the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BC). Even older finds of olive stones (pits) date back to almost a millennium earlier, in the period of Minoan Crete.
The Kalamata olive belongs to the Oleaceae family and its botanical name is Olea europaea. One of the characteristics of the species of the genus Olea sp. is their longevity, which can exceed 100 years. This does not mean that the productivity of these trees stops or decreases.
Finally, it is a fact that it is considered as ''the mother'' of the olives and is also called ''Aetonychia'' of Kalamon. How else since the elongated shape of her oval pit looks like an eagle claw ??