Olive

The olive is the fruit of the [olive tree]?. Used since ancient times for the making of olive oil and for eating of the fruit itself. The olive is used in different culinary diciplines: In drink mixing it is a famous part of a [dry martini]?; in susages, it may be used in mortadella? and so on.

Cultivation of the olive is is a key characteristic of Mediterranean mixed farming, and played a large part in the economic development of ancient Greece because of the suitability of olive oil as an export crop. For instance Attica, the region of Athens, was a grain importer and olive oil exporter from early historic times.