New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
HOW OLITES ARE CURED.
DIFFICULT PROCESS. REQUIRING MANY
WEEKS.
From The Arco Special.

From The Arco Special
1T should be rememb bered." said the olive
man, that the constitution of olive is as deli
cate as that of a tender child. From the time
the crop is gathered until it is finally packed in
the bottles, there is not a moment which is not
fraught with the intensest anxiety on the part
of all who handle the fruit. No other product
requires such constant application of the old
maxim of eternal vigilance as olives.
The ball begins with the gathering of the
fruit. This is done in the late summer or early
autumn, while the fruit is still green and hard
and altogether UnsavOry on account of its in
tense bitterness. The olives picked by hand
TO prevent scratching and bruising and then
conveyed in carts or on pack mules TO the cur
ing establishment Olive curing is q very deli
cate and intricate process. for which fixed
rules can be laid down n course of treatment
that in one instance would prove successful
might be absolutely TuinOus in another. The
business of curing. therefore. calls for expert
talent. and is always intrusted 10 professional
who brings to his task his own skill and knOwl-
edge. supplemented by the experience of genera
lions of kinsfOlk who were curers in that par~
ticular variety before him.
The first step in the process of curing is
known cooking When the fruit comes to
the curing establishment it is placed in large
watts filled with mixture of lime and water.
in which il undergOes a kind of fermentation
Cooking is merely technical name for this
fermentation process.
When the fermentation has reached
tain stage-a matter requiring anywhere from
few hours TO few GayS-the curer gives the
signal TO withdraw the plugs. and the liquid is
run off The olives are then thoroughly washed
with fresh water until they are bright and clean
and every trace of lime is removed IL you were
10 taste them now you would find that they had
lost most of their unpleasant bitterness
After washing. the fruit is put in casks filled
with brine and the casks exposed. bunSS open,
To the sun. This induces second fermentation,
which takes place more or less rapidly, accord
ins To the weather. However. Spain enjoys
a fairly eQuable climate. period of from three
to four weeks generally sufiices Throushout
this second fermentation the olives keep throw
ing of the brine. that the casks must he IN
Spected daily and kept filled with new brine II
the required strength.
Finally there comes time when they no
longer throw of any brine. They are then ready
for 'sOrtinS-that is. for separation ACCORDING
IN size and quality. All that perfect
proper color and free from scratches. spots and
other hemiSheS-are called selected, the rest
'cuIls' The various sizes known according
their weight. S,-9O meaning olives that count
eighty To ninety To the kilo
After sorting the olives then put back
whole is ready for shipment TO the American i'm
porter.
DO YOU begin to pack soon they arrive
in New-YOrk,' the next leading question
No. indeed, The long ocean voyage affects
olives much as il does human beings Ihty
generally suCcumb To 'seaSickneSS en- route
that is. We find them in some stage of feruon-
care until they recover
Doesn't this 'StaSiCkneSS you call IL. I'M
pair the quality in any way?
Not at all Ii only makes the olive man feel
the burden of his responsibilities. In every stage
of fermt atiOn there is a critical moment when
he must exercise the greatest care and cautloN
II the olives recover they are really much I'M
proved in quality. If they don't they are HOPE
leSsly ruined. There is intermediate conIl-
ton