handpicked
Olives bruise easily, so harvesting by hand, although time consuming, means the olive is less damaged. This results in better quality olive oil and a healthier olive. The harvesting team in Beino are experts in their field, having worked for most of their lives with olives. Harvested at the end of the olive harvest once the olives are a mottled purple colour.
unique to the eastern med
Lebanon grows around 10 different varieties of olives, the most common being souri. While some farmers are growing European varieties which produce more oil, Youssef Fares, owner producer of Zejd, has resisted this. He insists on protecting the heritage of souri olives, proud of their ancestry. After all, it was his ancestors, the Phoenicians, who shipped olive trees from the port city of Tyre to the rest of Europe. The name souri derives from the Arabic name for the port city of Tyre, Sour.
goodness
An olive picked from the tree is inedible, it’s the oleuropein, an active compound, which makes them bitter. Souri black olives are washed and then salted to draw out the bitter compound. The olives are left whole to maintain and intensify the flavour. Packed full of antioxidants and vitamin E, they have important anti-inflammatory benefits. Olives are also a good source of monounsaturated fats.
use
Importing a large jar of olives is better value for our customers. While they are delicious eaten with a slice of lemon and some Zejd EVOO, they are wonderful in recipes too. A plate of prawns with arak is made all the more impressive with souri black olives tossed in towards the end. Scattered over a dish of kale, ricotta and mushroom spaghetti, they add umami goodness and texture. For a flavoursome Lebanese take on a Weiner Schnitzel, chop a handful finely and mix with sage and breadcrumbs for a crispy pork escalope. What will you add them to?
storage
Once opened, it will last happily in the fridge for 2 weeks. Use a tablespoon of the deliciously tasty brine to flavour soups or stews.
posting
We take every care when packing up your purchase for the post. Wrapping the jars in honeycomb wrap paper,rather than bubblewrap, means you can compost all the packaging. We send the packages first class on a tracked service by Royal Mail or Parcel Force.
life after olives?
Once the olives have been eaten, this jar has a second life. Tall and elegant, the label peels off really easily. We love the fact that it makes such a good storage jar for nuts and dried fruit, lentils or chickpeas or even dog treats! We’ve been saving the pits to use on the BBQ as a good source of fuel.
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