|
|
|
|
green souri olives
|
|
|
|
If it wasn’t for the love of these green, oval-shaped, chewy bursts of flavour, shorkk might not have come into existence.
|
|
|
The Lebanese love their olives. Having lived outside Lebanon for a while now, we have searched high and low for an olive that tasted like an olive. But none of them came close to the Lebanese variety called "souri". So this was one of the first things we set about sourcing. And we found it, in Zejd’s green cracked souri olives. They deliver the taste of “home” for so many Lebanese.
|
We’re also discovering that Bristolians are rather passionate about them too! From small children dragging parents back to our stall to buy the olives they’ve just finished sampling, to devotees who have travelled around the Middle East and have never been able to find the taste of those olives once back in the UK, to those who just love the taste of “olive" rather than salty water, Zejd’s green cracked olives are creating quite a following.
|
In Lebanon, you’ll find a bowl on the table for most meals. Barbara Massaad in her beautiful book Mouneh mentions that in some Lebanese families, olives are sometimes known as the “sheikh of the table” in reference to their importance in a meal.
|
Released from the jar, the olives deserve just a little bit of love and attention before you dive in.
|
Remove a couple of tablespoons, being careful not to damage the skin too much as they’re well packed in. They need to breathe a bit, so dress the olives with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon of the brine and a squeeze of lemon. Mix well, enjoy the scent and marvel at their glossy shine. Why not add a couple of thin slices of lemon, cut into triangles, and let the flavour mingle?
|
|
A simple bowl of olives, but actually so much more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For those interested in a 3L tin of extra virgin olive oil, we're delighted to say they're all packed and ready. However, the leaves for the olive leaf infusion haven't completed their drying cycle quite yet. We're hoping that the transporters strike planned for next week in Lebanon, due to the rising price of fuel, won't delay the goods getting to the airport in Beirut. Thank you for your patience!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This week we attended an event in London organised by Impact Lebanon, a nonprofit organisation set up by Lebanese in the UK to support their country. It was great to meet some of the Lebanese community in London and tell them about our initiative.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zejd's beautiful pot of saffron is the star of the saffron tagliatelle recipe we added to our website this week. It's from Ottolenghi's book Flavour, and if you've never made pasta before, this straightforward recipe may be just the weekend activity you're looking for!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
