Uniquely Cracked Olives
These unique green olives are manually and onerously cracked using special stones.
Olives have long been recognised as a symbol of good living and people tend to live longer and healthier lives in regions where their miraculous oil is a staple part of the diet.
Harvest time usually begins in October, when the early green olive first fruits and are gathered either by shaking the branches over sheets spread on the ground around the tree, or by individually picking the olives by hand.
A popular delicacy, Çakısdez (chuck-ess-dez), once picked, these olives are washed, cracked and then soaked in brine.
They are then served with coriander seeds, garlic, olive oil and lemon, and complement any appetiser for lunch or dinner, although you will most likely find these rare olives at open buffets for breakfast as well.
This local delicacy can be preserved in jars or plastic containers, so why not bring some Mediterranean health back home with you on your return.