A little reason to celebrate

National Olive Day

Food · June 1

A look at olives: why they need curing, how green and black ones differ, and easy ways to taste a few side by side.

National Olive Day falls on Tuesday, June 1, 2027. That is 217 days away.

Olives are the small stone fruit of the olive tree, and almost nobody eats them straight off the branch. Fresh olives are intensely bitter. Curing in brine, salt, water or lye is what turns them into something you would want on a plate.

Color tells part of the story. Green olives are picked earlier, while they are still firm. Some black olives are left to ripen darker on the tree. Many of the mild, canned black olives sold in American grocery stores are different again: they are picked green and darkened during the cure, with help from air. That is why a canned black olive and a wrinkly, oil-cured one can taste like distant cousins.

The range is wide. Some olives are buttery and soft, some are sharp and salty, and some are cracked or stuffed with pimento, garlic or almonds. A deli olive bar is a cheap way to try several without committing to a whole jar.

Most people enjoy them simply: in a bowl with bread and cheese, chopped into a tapenade, scattered over pizza, or tucked into a pasta sauce. Warming olives briefly in a pan with olive oil, citrus peel and herbs makes even a plain jar taste fresh.

Keep a little brine when you finish a jar. It works in salad dressings, and it keeps any leftover olives from drying out in the fridge.

Ways to celebrate

Try three olives side by side, one green, one canned black, one oil-cured.
Warm a handful of olives with olive oil, lemon peel and rosemary.
Make a quick tapenade with olives, capers and garlic.
Look for an olive you have never tasted at a deli olive bar.
Save leftover olive brine for a salad dressing.

Dates

Year	Date
2026	Monday, June 1
2027	Tuesday, June 1
2028	Thursday, June 1
2029	Friday, June 1
2030	Saturday, June 1

All national days on June 1

Also on June 1

Categories: Food days