Black olives, like green olives, are treated with brine to make them lose the bitter taste they have when they are picked. As well as being suitable as appetisers, black olives are also used to enrich meat and fish dishes or used as a condiment on top of pizza and focaccia.
The olive tree is an evergreen fruit tree belonging to the Oleaceae family and is native to Syria. Italy is the main producer worldwide, with the largest number of cultivations. The
difference between black and green olives lies in the ripening process: initially green, they turn black when completely ripe.