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<pre>Please explain about olive preparation in Syria. I have just received from
Damascus a consignment of olives [about 3 kilos] of black olives packed in a
plastic bag. They came by air a few days ago with a friend of mine to me
here in England. The consistency of the olives is very soft, almost mushy.
Is this how people like them and eat them in Syria? They are far too soft
for my taste certainly. Are green olives also very soft when prepared for
consumption?
Second request, there is a herb which is mixed with olive oil and the
mixture eaten with bread. Could you please tell me the name of the herb?
-----Original Message-----
From: multimania syrie <syrie@multimania.com>
To: oliveoil <oliveoil@onelist.com>
Date: 03 August 1999 14:46
Subject: [OliveOil] Syria


>From: "multimania syrie" <syrie@multimania.com>
>
>Hello ,
>Thanks for your replies .
>I am from Syrian origin but I live in Paris ( France ) and I am not olive
>specialist but I happily relay information from Syria where Internet is not
>widespread 'yet'. ( My nephew is a doctor in agronomy ).
>The edible oil was grown on the island of Crete about 3500 BC ; the Semitic
>peoples apparently cultivated it as early as 3000 BC . The trees start
>bearing in 4 to 8 years , but full production is not reached for 15 to 20
>years " Enc. Britannica 1974 " ( note: Syrian people is semitic )
>Syrian claims to be the 4th olive oil producer in the world .Olive is
>cultivated in the north near the Turkish border (Aleppo) and along the
>meditteranean coast ( Lattakia -> Tartous ).
>Not much fancy changes have been made to the cultivar ( Souri ? = syrian )
>used in the traditional farms for so long .
>The traditional farmers and the oil processing factories are still
producing
>olive oil which is being sold by barrels ( > 20 liters ) to each household.
>( note: At the bottom of the barrel , you end up with a dark deposit .)
>Some modern processors and bottlers are also in business but it seems for
>smaller quantities.( maybe targeting export ).
>Until recently , olive oil export was banned but I understand that
>regulations are changing.
>Olive oil plays an important role in the Syrian diet , from breakfast with
>"zattar" seeds and bread to evening meal with fresh olives . There is also
>some traditional recipe ( salads, .. ) but I never heard about olive leaf
>tea. We drink tea a lot but it is imported ( a very old tradition ).
>We have some soap , green cubes ( because of some green lyme used ? ) made
>by laying down the liquid soap , waiting and cutting the cubes out the
solid
>mass.
>
>Souhair
>
>http://www.multimania.com/syrie/olive.htm
>
>
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</pre>
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