Ancient Greek Olives - Gifts from A Goddess

[@TastingHistory]

For behind the scenes banter on Tasting History, casual banter on the channel, videogames, Pokemon, general geekdom, and cats check out our side channel: kzbin.info . Also have the 17 episodes up as audio only on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and more. Take a look or a listen and subscribe! 👨🏼‍🍳

[@KetchupwithMaxandJose]

🥳😋

[@cousinjake7986]

Max I'm not getting notifications until a day after you post and it's messing me up, cause this is my Tuesday thing! But regardless, thanks for the content.

[@TastingHistory]

@@cousinjake7986 KZbin notifications make no sense. Are you signed up for all notifications?

[@icedragonair]

In Russian green olives are also called white.

[@kubon101]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5Czc5ieoM-igKs Even though this video is about colors in Japan, the reason for the "White Olives" is the same. Just comes down to how different cultures break-down their colors.

[@wonderwomanwarriorforpeace6457]

Olives can’t be eaten unless they’ve been soaked in brine-AKA salt water. So if you think about it, Athena provided the fruit, but Poseidon provided the way to actually eat it.

[@stankyratman5685]

athens rn: 🤧

[@sarahjeanjerezon1333]

Bruhh

[@Val_Emrys]

When I lived in Italy, I ate ripe green olives directly plucked from a tree. They were wonderful. Of course to last more than a few days and be sold at markets, they must be brined in order not to spoil.

[@finolacat8355]

@@Val_Emrys Green olive are plucked before their maturation is finished, black olives are plucked when fully ripened.

[@Val_Emrys]

@@finolacat8355 That is not true. Look it up.

[@MrLordDorfmann]

Likely the reason they called them “white olives” is because they were lighter than black olives. It’s the same sort of generalization that we use for red and white wine. White wines are often yellowish in color, while reds can be quite purple. The norse had a similar thing with their gold coming in 2 varieties “white” and “red” with “red gold” having a slightly coppery luster to it.

[@kunolacarai]

Also, linguists have noted that terms for specific colors often only come about when a civilization learns how to dye or paint things. “Black” and “white” are usually the first two words created, followed by “red.” Edit: This is a gross oversimplification, to be honest. As you can tell from the following thread, linguistics is messy and complicated.

[@turretlizardinthesun957]

@@kunolacarai I read once that blue is almost always the last color added to a language and that prior to that it is considered a shade of green or grey. Not sure if that is true or not, but it has always struck me as odd. The theory you mentioned actually makes a lot of sense as blue pigment (Egyptian Blue) was discovered relatively late (2000 BCE) compared to red, green, yellow, etc. which was used as far back as pigments are known. Even then it remained hard to produce, expensive, and very rare for the next couple of millennia. Man, I love this channel! It is about olives but leads to observation on linguistics and art history.

[@boesvig2258]

@Kegna I think you're right. To add to your point, white wine doesn't come from white grapes (not grapes we'd call white today, anyway), but from green grapes that are very similar in color to "white olives".

[@Ulfednar]

I always assumed that to be the case, just as white grapes are about as white as olives are. :)

[@altejoh]

Also colours seemed to be described differently in different ancient texts? Like, if you read through some of Homer's stuff, there are some odd colour choice descriptors, like the ocean being described as green in colour, whereas today we would probably call it blue.

[@katerinahikesalot1644]

From a Greek (me): Rinse brined olives first, drain/pat dry, and then toss with olive oil before using. I always rinse those olive bar olives first, or any packaged Greek olives because they are WAY too salty. That's for preserving, not eating.

[@joemagnus5085]

Thank you for that I thought so. I always rinse my black olives

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

Wow I had no idea!

[@samedwards3285]

this is THE main reason why the internet was invented, food tips from people who know stuff.

[@punishedwaluigi3518]

coward, just eat the salt.

[@perseusarkouda]

I'd also add to not put in fridge because olive oil will freeze. Keep it in room temperature and after a while ignore the fat on top. It's not mold.

[@Lauren.E.O]

Lysias defending himself from the high crime of having an olive stump on his land was more passionate than most episodes of Law & Order

[@spymaster3366]

@@peterconway6584 oh man if you search for more speeches like that you will be screaming that the defendant is lying through his teeth but the jury can't sentence him athens had the most cunning mfuckers in the ancient world lawyers still study such speeches that's how good at leading on a crowd the were

[@duncanthaw6858]

@@anastasiagiannoulatou7460 Ancient greek ain got no V dawg. It's Boule alright.

[@joek600]

@@duncanthaw6858 Only if you wear sandals with socks

[@shangrilainxanadu]

@@anastasiagiannoulatou7460 The pronunciation of beta as "veeta" is modern/ecclesiastical greek. The sound was equivalent to english "b" in ancient greek.

[@kx4532]

@@shangrilainxanadu How do we know it?

[@alexsis1778]

Never forget my grandfather telling me about when he was on leave in Italy during WW2 and found an olive tree and thought he'd try one fresh from the tree. 70 years later he still swore it was the absolute worst thing he'd ever tried in his life.

[@spymaster3366]

Ha yeah some types are not fun to eat from a tree i personally wouldn't eat any straight from the tree but when we dip them in salt and stuff they are to die for Ps. I don't know if you know but your name is pretty common in Greece and i am sure you know it comes from Alexander the Great he made the name popular.

[@namedrop721]

Hahaha, olives are processed-not off the tree, poor guy.

[@weetbix4497]

Yeah same here. I always loved olives, so I thought I struck gold when I found an olive tree on the school grounds. Really didn't expect it to be that awful

[@katrussell6819]

On Crete back in 1980 we went to an olive farm and bough freshly pressed olive oil just after watching it come from the fairly primitive machine. Best olive oil I will ever taste.

[@JKDMan2000]

@FlyingMonkies325 ppl seem to like them more the older they get

[@thomaswalsh4552]

Fun fact: the ancient Greeks, and the Roman’s after them, used olive oil to wash themselves. They would coat themselves in it, and then scrape it off with what was effectively a full wooden razor - and hopefully scrape any dirt away with it. A historian (my advisor’s old advisor, in fact) tested the efficacy of this on his children, washing them in this way instead of normal baths for a few weeks. Apparently it worked quite well

[@vanillablossom]

I sometimes think washing with olive oil or any kind of oil would be good for the skin and reduce water usage, but good olive oil is expensive and oil in general costs a bit (comparing to other common foods), so even washing in pomace olive oil may be costly (and probably still great for the skin), but the idea sounds good and I like the info others did it. I also guess he tried it on the kids and not himself, because they are smaller and need less. But I also imagine it being more effective (as not only wash, but also nourishing, repairing etc.) on adult / mature skin, since kids' skin is already soft and perfect. Anyways, thanks for sharing!

[@mahna_mahna]

I ordered bruschetta on a first date once. Kept repeatedly spilling the toppings all over my lap and everywhere. She still mentions it 14 years later. :)

[@horacegentleman3296]

Cute

[@foamer443]

And always will. Been there.

[@cathdodd5072]

I love it 🤣

[@sheldoniusRex]

Your messy eating appears to have not affected the outcome of the date very much.

[@mahna_mahna]

@@sheldoniusRex I think it might have even scored me points. She's pretty klutzy. :D

[@Disturban]

Man I love this channel so much.

[@ursaursae9848]

Same.

[@drjekyllmshyde]

That weird moment one of your favorite channels loves another of your favorite channels

[@papabell4831]

Olive this channel too.

[@Disturban]

@@papabell4831 hahahahahahaah

[@pavel9652]

They have a decent sense of humour, hint: it is called Athens not Poseidonpolis ;)

[@djnoona2129]

"I don't see how a dove could carry an olive branch" Doves are cousins to the pigeon: both members of Columbidae family have excellent lifting skills. Pigeons were used as carriers since pre-biblical times. A bird can carry approximately 10% of its body weight. Given the average weight of a dove at 300-500 grams, this means the bird can carry approximately 30-50 grams easily. Therefore it is plausible that a dove can carry an entire small branch.

[@finolacat8355]

Branch might also have meant a freshly cut, live twig with three or four leaves. :)

[@beniaminorocchi]

@@thothheartmaat2833 that's not true. Columba palumbus migrate yearly from northern Europe (Scandinavia and the Baltic) to southern Europe (Italy and southern France) and from Eastern continental europe westward to the Mediterranean sea (both European and African coast). In southern Europe they move less, just from mountain region to coasts. Here in Italy we wait for them in October over the Pennines, they move in flocks of thousands.

[@tissuepaper9962]

@@beniaminorocchi it's a joke. Look up "Monty Python African swallow".

[@idontwantahandlethough]

ballsy. Honestly I think I'd be scared of mispronouncing that one, good on you lol. It's just one of those words that even if you pronounce it right like 50% of people think you said it wrong, but if you need to argue with your date about definitions... you're probably not getting a second date anyway.

[@djnoona2129]

@@idontwantahandlethough I wooed my husband by doing the blue-footed booby dance. I studied as an ornithologist. Also the genus for dove isn't that hard to pronounce. It's like Columbus, but with -idae suffix. Col-lum-bid-day

[@caseychapman5726]

this looks like a good meal regardless of being like 1000 years old. cheese and oil are timeless

[@alexforce9]

I was thinking the same. 30 seconds into the video and I already know this will taste good. Cheese, olives and bread? You cant go wrong here.

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

I thought the same, like...that's a tapa there (I grew up in Spain), just add a cold beer and looks like something my uncle would serve at his bar on the 90s.

[@umbra9913]

With olives 👌🤘

[@darthplagueis13]

Significantly more than 1000 years, actually. It's more in the ballpark of 2500.

[@adaelion3772]

Honestly, adding a touch of honey would make it just a tad better. This sounds like a great dish.

[@brucemcpherlain1903]

Athena was the godess of wisdom and war: as for the "war" part: she was godess of war as in careful planning, cunning and strategy, the aspects of warfare which are related to wisdom. Ares was the god of war as in bloodlust, violence and rage.

[@sonipitts]

This. Wisdom, (success in) war and fertility were the cornerstones of a successful civilization. And war (if managed wisely) is the means by which a civilization itself expands and matures, settles trade routes, secures its borders and spawns "children" through colonies, conquered nations, and outposts...i.e. underpins the fertility of the nation-state itself.

[@ianscheu7876]

@@sonipitts As the Goddess of the Home and Home Arts, her connection to war is also that of a protectoress. As Ares destroys the home, she protects the home (there is a similar relationship between Ares and Hephaestus with destruction/creation). I find it telling that one of her symbols is a shield. I will say, one of my favorite scenes of Illiad is Ares and Athena standing off at each end of the field and issuing their war cry as the mortals panic.

[@songcramp66]

@@silverletter4551 You actually think tactics matters less in modern warfare? It is the complete opposite.

[@coffeekatk4067]

As a woman...makes sense to me!

[@telzeyamberdon3474]

Exactly. From a journal article I read, Ares was also thought to preside over bandits. Ye Olde Greeks would even make "voodoo dolls" of him and "bind" the dolls so they could keep bandits away. The article is called "Binding and Burying the Forces of Evil: The Defensive Use of 'Voodoo Dolls' in Ancient Greece." Plus, Athena had to be the goddess of wisdom because in one story her mother is Metis, the goddess of wisdom. Zeus swallows Metis to prevent a prophecy, and that's why Athena springs from his head.

[@acashasha]

I've noticed that Max had been poking fun at his own weight lately. So relatable but also sad. I just wanna say, Max, you are a gorgeous human being and I'm so glad you have found joy and success here with us on KZbin. We love you and Jose and wish you the best mentally, physically and emotionally. Take care.

[@thatb1h855]

who's jose?

[@clara_corvus]

@@thatb1h855 Max's husband, I think

[@thatb1h855]

@@clara_corvus oh i didnt know he was married

[@tgbluewolf]

@@clara_corvus He's mentioned a wife in other videos; in the description, he credits the person who does the subtitles, and the name is Jose.

[@theladycata9648]

@@tgbluewolf No, he’s mentioned his fiancé and their wedding in other videos but he definitely doesn’t have a wife because he’s gay. Jose is his husband who helps him out with the videos

[@Bucorax]

To whom it may concern: The Project "Genolive" mapped the distribution of Olive Trees in the mediterranean and its origins by the use of DNA fragments. Exciting stuff!

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

What? No more info? shame, shame...

[@miarabbit]

@@JohnLeePettimoreIII While I don't know a lot about olives specifically (I focused a lot more on ancient human remains in Greece and the effect of diet), there are a lot of studies that look at olives as they're so abundant in the archaeological record. Mapping and identifying olive varieties are really useful when it comes to making arguments for the trade of olive oil vs local production as well as its origins and why it is varieties were selectively bred. The most recent paper I've found would be this one from Julca et al (rdcu.be/clLSM).

[@krono5el]

thought it was common knowledge olives originated from the asia minor or Mesopotamia

[@Lauren.E.O]

Renting ALL the olive presses out of pettiness is what we know as a Power Move

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@talyn3932]

Dropping the oil afterwards is a slick move

[@swampking666]

And it was only to prove a point.

[@godofannoyance]

He really went olive-in on that investment, eh?

[@Charok1]

@@TastingHistory Summer BBQ would be putting olive relish on HOT DOGS Matt.

[@Lethanian]

I don't know if such a cheese would be available abroad (I live in Greece) but there is a byproduct cheese of the creation of Feta cheese called "Manouri" which is soft, fatty, sweet and barely salted and would make for a good substitute for feta for such a dish!

[@johncisney15]

Feta is very common here in the US. I imagine it would be pretty easy to find in any first or second world country.

[@statiq1941]

@@johncisney15 notably he does not say it is feta, but a by-product of feta.

[@harrytsamas4961]

Manouri is very similar to Ricotta Salada, excellent!

[@zennvirus7980]

And now we get a big hint as to why goats were associated with the Devil: they would desecrate the holiest of fruits (olives). Would make it the pinacle of irony if you use goat cheese for this relish, though.

[@ckvonpickles3751]

yep i went straight there too! nice to see another stolen thought or idea popping up in the christian book of lies and theft!

[@RA-nq1xs]

I thought the same thing too, lol

[@RadenWA]

So the devil spilled its unholy white substance all over the holy fruit

[@apotato6278]

@@ckvonpickles3751 It wasn't stolen, it was added by people who genuinely believed in it. Goats are bad because they ruin olive groves. Olive groves were insanely important to the Greeks. A lot of Hellenized Jews and Greeks were early Christians. Do you see what i'm trying to say here? It's the same as a French guy opening a French restaurant only for you to scream it's cultural appropriation. It's kinda silly.

[@ThatBernie]

Yeah the Bible, Judaism and Christianity arose out of the same Eastern Mediterranean cultural milieu as the ancient Greeks-they had very similar climates, they ate very similar foods, and they frequently conducted trade with each other-and so it’s not “theft” when the motifs found in one of these cultures also pop up in another.

[@fluffytom82]

They didn't call them "white" olives as in the colour white, but rather in the meaning of "light coloured" olives, as opposed to "dark coloured" olives. Coulours in Ancient Greek weren't as specific as ours today, each word/colour could mean a wide range of shades.

[@Orzorn]

Yes, they probably used "white" in the way that we would use "light" today (that is, compared to "dark"). It doesn't literally mean white colored, but that its color is brighter, especially compared to black olives.

[@00muinamir]

Yeah, I immediately thought of the whole "wine-dark sea" thing. The ancient Greeks seemed to put more emphasis on color value than hue.

[@StergiosMekras]

More accurate to say that they were specific along different divisions.

[@talyn3932]

Or they meant the literal white variety of olive....

[@druid_zephyrus]

@@talyn3932 which was created or discovered in what year and what region?

[@christopherburkett3881]

There's actually an entire Radio Lab podcast dedicated to how Ancient Greeks defined color. The episode is called "Why Isn't the Sky Blue?" and it really does a deep dive on that, for example, in the Odessy the ocean is often referred to as "wine-dark". You should definitely give it a listen if you want to know more.

[@crunchydragontreats6692]

Apparently, blue is the last of the known colors to get a name in every culture that has a name for it. My understanding is that lighter blues were seen as shades of green and darker blues are seen as shades of red before our eyes evolved to see blue as a separation color.

[@ub3rfr3nzy94]

Yeah I'm goong to step in a yea rlate and just let you know that is a bs misconception spread across the internet. Wine dark was describing the darkness of the sea not the colour and it was a common phrase. The ancient Greeks also did in fact have a name for blue. The olives being called white is simply to contrast with black olives, that's it. We say red onions and cabbage, how would you feel if people 2000 years from now claimed we didnt know what purple was.

[@crunchydragontreats6692]

@@ub3rfr3nzy94 The Himba tribe from Namibia still has no word for blue. When asked to point out the color blue in an otherwise green color swatch, they cannot. Linguistically, blue is the last color to get a name in every culture. Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.

[@userequaltoNull]

@@crunchydragontreats6692 It's perception, not evolution. Many papuan tribes literally cannot count, because they have no number words in their language.

[@crunchydragontreats6692]

@@userequaltoNull If someone put 5 squares of color in front of me, 4 green and 1 blue, even if I had no word for the color blue, I could still tell them which one was different. As I understand it, the Himba tribe cannot do this. They cannot distinguish between green and blue. This is an evolutionary and or genetic trait.

[@darondax]

For anyone having trouble finding rue in their local market: rosemary with a pinch of black pepper is a good substitute.

[@missmartylynn]

Also, when reading about rue on Amazon, there was a warning about rue causing liver/kidney damage to sensitive people. Glad I read about it and appreciate your substitute here.

[@user-qj9en1kp1m]

Thanks, this a useful piece of information. I love olives and I would like to try this recipe.

[@lisafranklin9089]

Thank you!

[@slhughes1267]

You can find rue in the Herbs plant section of your plant nursery. They grow nicely in a garden and are winter hardy. The stuff is incredibly bitter (like in the bible bitterherb) and a tiny amount goes a long way.

[@berelinde]

To this day, my favorite sandwich is cream cheese and olive. I never knew that it has its roots in ancient Greece!

[@BobBob-wi6ct]

You have encouraged me to be more adventurous in my cooking. Nobody is looking has become my kitchen motto. Plus, I can always throw it out and order pizza. Thank you

[@TastingHistory]

I love that! Making mistakes in the kitchen is the best way to get better 😁

[@FerretPirate]

I need "You can always throw it out and order pizza" as a wall sampler.

[@Punkini]

I’m Sicilian and olives are still holy in my family. Olives and figs, that is. We own a fig tree that was given to us by another Sicilian family we knew years ago. That fig tree is cared for, despite being grown in the midwest and not the Mediterranean where it would much rather live haha. Also, I’d love to see an episode about arancini! They’re a staple in Sicily. My family makes them, but many street vendors around Sicily sell them too. They’re a decently old dish!

[@goldendots2549]

Arancini!!!! Yes please!!!!!! I was in Sicily some years ago and I couldn't believe this taste! And why don't we have them in greece!!! Ah Sicily!!!

[@brandiecrisp8385]

Yes! I spent the summer in Pompei doing fieldwork, and arancini became my favorite food! I missed it so much when I returned to US that I made a few batches from different recipes. They were okay, but did not compare to the arancini in campania!

[@robinrobyn1714]

Ahh. The fig tree. According to ancient Roman legend, the twins, Romulus and Remus, were suckled by a she - wolf, underneath a fig tree. When Jesus lived on Earth, the alleged, actual fig tree's location was well known.

[@rachel_Cochran]

Are you telling me I could be growing figs in Tennessee?

[@suezotiger]

Figs grow well in many places in the US as long as it doesn't get too cold. There are varieties hardy to zone 6 i believe. They also grow so fast you can pretty much cut one back to the ground every year and they just come back stronger

[@MicroBlogganism]

Not gonna lie, I would watch Law & Order: Special Olive Unit. Especially if there is a goat episode

[@snazzypazzy]

Same!

[@slwrabbits]

please someone make this a thing

[@bodyofhope]

Yes please!

[@fucku3460]

Yes animal version of law and order. I like it, your in!!

[@Belgand]

Sacred Olive Unit

[@arisgaliatsatos595]

As a Greek, i didnt even know this was an ancient dish. I still eat it almost every day in the summer with olive oil and oregano.

[@samovarsa2640]

I envy you so much

[@yunusemrrkorkmaz]

everyday at breakfast, it is a necessity almost!

[@StergiosMekras]

Especially if the feta is good... Also makes for a good side dish for ouzo/tsipouro.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

It is very like a kind of olive salad I buy from Amazon (because I can't by it anywhere else. I live in an Italian food vacuum.) I usually put wine vinegar in it because it is too oily without it.

[@violetka1197]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/np69m5iLap5sg7M

[@Krieger2214]

Athena is specifically the tactical and strategic side of warfare, a godess of commanders and generals. Ares represents the average warrior, a god of wrath, anger, martial prowess and violence. A god representative of the brutality of warfare.

[@visegradi]

Athena is specifically that, BUT only on the defender (Or at least the rightful) side of the war.

[@lhfirex]

This recipe is from Ancient Greece, but the one featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is from Ancient Grease.

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@maryschmitz7817]

Too funny. I chuckled 👌

[@ragnkja]

Can anyone translate “I’ve got chills, they’re multiplying” to Ancient Greek? It’s already been translated to Latin, thanks to “Citation Needed” viewers (“mihi sunt frigora, multiplicantia”), but Greek would be even more appropriate.

[@Andvare]

@@ragnkja Excuse me for asking, but are you losing control?

[@maryschmitz7817]

@@Andvare cleaver reply🤗

[@starsgears9200]

Oh my Athena, that goat clip at 10:04 is an absolute masterpiece of timing.

[@EvieDelacourt]

I had to pause the video there until I could stop laughing long enough to focus on the rest of it!

[@chrisball3778]

I love the 'screaming goat', but its dark secret is that it's actually a sheep.

[@nikofloros]

Fun fact, the name of this dish is really more of a category than a specific dish. Επιτύρον (Epityron, attempted pronunciation guide: eh-pee-TEE-roan) as it is writen in Greek literally just means "On-cheese". Επί (eh-PEE): on, with, after Τυρόν (tee-ROAN): cheese

[@laundromatjones4337]

To be fair, "white grapes" are also, in fact, green

[@hannekehartkoorn5987]

As is white cabbage.

[@kyliCatherine1]

Was looking for this comment

[@hannekehartkoorn5987]

And as is white wine. And white vinegar. And white peaches (OK, those aren't green, but yellow).

[@zimbu_]

The plot thickens.

[@konstantinapapaioannou4306]

Exactly. They just came up with the name to tell them apart from black olives, which are definitely black.

[@HollyInOccitanieFrance]

To reduce the saltiness, try soaking the olives in plain water for a few minutes & then rinse them well before chopping them.

[@spymaster3366]

Bah thats what makes them good

[@gatamadriz]

I'll bet that's it, since they were brined in salt.

[@mattblom3990]

Eating olives while watching Max teach me why they are historically important - a great way to spend a Sunday evening!

[@Lauren.E.O]

Heracles: *can slay a thousand enemies with his bare hands* Also Heracles: *can’t figure out how clothing works*

[@TastingHistory]

Nobody said he was smart

[@kirbie2640]

ancient jock

[@TheMadalucard]

Himbo icon

[@azuromesser849]

Me : think about the time he conquered Troy with 12 men a generation before the Illiad, and that time with Augias stables Debatable

[@ArnoldPelkaJr]

Pretty much the Goku of his time

[@swolerat6781]

I don’t like olives but this channel is a part of my Tuesday routine

[@ragnkja]

Ditto

[@boutainabrhmgsma4393]

I already am a big fan of history but the way Max talks about it makes far more I testing big fan!

[@DoggoneNexus]

Hey Max, just wanted to say you are such a naturally gifted presenter. This channel is as informative and entertaining as anything produced for educational/cable TV. I dare say you've found your calling!

[@FormaAlert]

Insane thing is that it's been so consistently enjoyable and well made/produced. I would have expected a channel to take a couple years to get to this point but he's done it so quickly and so well it's absolutely insane.

[@callmeval3542]

@@FormaAlert He used to work for Disney. They hired him for a reason lol

[@MJFish]

I agree.

[@chillowtree9324]

Max if you see this, I want you to know that I'm very glad you decided to do these videos full time. You've completely revived my love for cooking. I've been a sous chef for about 4 years now and it was starting to get a little bland and tedious, but now I'm 100% back in the game and I thank you so much. Absolutely inspirational.

[@JakobNorthblood]

"It could be carried by an a African swallow!" A+ reference! I was pounding the table laughing. Edit: I wrote too soon. This video is FULL of great jokes and references. Top Notch. I'm very glad that you made this your full time job, Max.

[@shanek6582]

If Cato the elder said it, shouldn’t have begun and ended with “we must destroy Carthage”.lol

[@MsLilly200]

And also, Carthage must be destroyed.

[@thomasjenkins5727]

He might have saved that line for the end of the book. Several recipes, AC admonition against vice, then carthogo delinda est.

[@Loweko1170]

Allow to sit for half an hour, then serve it forth. Also, Carthage must be destroyed.

[@91rumpnisse]

CARTHAGO DELENDA EST

[@seanaguilar2057]

@@91rumpnisse I believe I'll start saying this instead of, "bless you", when someone sneezes.

[@anestisfraganestis1540]

The greek word epityron translates exactly to "over cheese"

[@JJMarkin]

Over, or on top of. Yes, exactly, glad _someone_ said that. :-)

[@pavel9652]

The history part of the video is so long I almost forgot it was about the food in first place ;) It looks good, shame I don't have the all herbs right now, especially the fresh ones. Great history, great video and great food! ;)

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Makes sense; that's certainly a heavenly combination.

[@juliegolick]

Max: "I'm gonna let it sit for a while so all the flavors can--" Babish: "--get to know each other."

[@horacegentleman3296]

Max is so so so much better than Babish.

[@nbn461]

@@horacegentleman3296 because they're in a different type of cooking show genre, Babish is more entertainment than tutorial, unlike Max.

[@horacegentleman3296]

@@nbn461 that's why he's worse. Objectively.

[@Doc_Fun]

@@nbn461 he's also infinitely more annoying.

[@acertainred4508]

why there so much babish hate here hes a funny silly guy you cant bate that

[@timotheosp.8618]

I’m not sure but maybe the ancient Greeks called it “white” olives because there is a type of olive tree that produces white olives - as far as I know it’s called “Leucocarpa” and it was cultivated in ancient times and in Byzantium. Apparently it was almost forgotten in modern times but it was still cultivated in south Italy (at least in small amounts).

[@talyn3932]

Yep. Its a natural plant too. Not a cultivar.

[@leademi1387]

Olives and feta were one of my late mom’s favorite snacks. Being part Greek and raise as such she was partial of a local market’s “Greek blend” which I suspect had a similar brine (I don’t like olive fruit so I don’t know for certain) and Greek style feta. I would randomly surprise her with this olives and it always made her happy. If she were still with us I would totally make this for her because I am certain she would love it.

[@vpowerization]

Today we have refrigerators and we don't like salty recipes that much, but in the ancient times this food was a real TREASURE ! Something tasty to eat even after many weeks at sea.

[@konstantinapapaioannou4306]

I laughed so hard with the scene where Lysias was defending himself in court, because literally, if you ever go to a Greek court (or any court anywhere in the world), this how a lawyer would approach the case. the logic of the arguments, it got me! :') some professions just never change!

[@alfredosboz2133]

Greek here, thank you for this! I remember when I was a kid, my mother (that was a history teacher) would make this after I returned from school and would talk to me about our mythology

[@tommybootlegger]

I made a big jar of this last week, and it barely lasted two days. We damn near overdosed on this Mediterranean goodness.

[@Helgatwb]

Noone expects the Monty Python reference! I almost shot iced tea out my nose!

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@victoriahoward8244]

In fact those who DO expect it-our chief weapons ARE: olives, cheese, bread, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope!

[@kathleenhensley5951]

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition! LOL LOL LO

[@davidtoews1397]

Go away English knight or I will taunt some more!!

[@BlindErephon]

NI!

[@homelesswizard3161]

This is lowkey my favorite channel right now, and the video lengths makes it a perfect watch during meal time.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 😊

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

Me too!

[@michaeljordan215]

What does it mean when you add the word "lowkey" to an, otherwise, perfectly good statement?

[@simplyme8593]

I'm watching too during dinner 🤗

[@a0ch]

Hi! Hopefully my comment does not get lost. I did some research in Greek about this, and in fact, white olives DID exist. This is the leucocarpa or leucolea kind, popular in Magna Grecia (the Greek colonies in Sicily and south Italy). :)

[@nightshadesyrup1624]

that Monty Python Reference was *chef's kiss*

[@Trekki200]

Fun fact: there still is an olive tree on the Acropolis and depending on the tourguide they will claim it to be the original that Athena planted.

[@jaymilo8425]

This guy here really helped to distract me with recipes and history, from the start of covid to presents. Appreciate the videos, humor and knowledge. Congrats on all your success you deserve it bud.

[@user-hn4zn9nx3c]

"But his olive relish makes for insane eating." damn, it's the medieval version of "This SLAPS"

[@deman4628]

Sheeeesh!

[@feraligatorade99]

"Ayo bruh this shit BUSSIN"

[@nightsong81]

If ya wanna get technical, it's well older than medieval. 185 BC is roughly in the middle of Classical Antiquity, the period of history generally centered on the Greek and Roman civilizations. The Medieval Era, or Middle Ages, start around 500 AD, with the fall of the Roman empire.

[@user-hn4zn9nx3c]

@@nightsong81 you gotta admit tho.. it does make for some INSANE eating

[@nightsong81]

@@user-hn4zn9nx3c True

[@conductor637]

Drizzle the bread version with a little honey, that should cut the saltiness even more and add another layer of flavor!

[@foamer443]

I was thinking a touch of lemon juice or rind.

[@dottore3870]

One way to deal with the saltiness is to soak the olives in freshwater for a day or two changing the water twice a day. You'll have to taste an olive to reach your particular preferred degree of saltiness. Also you can add a clove of garlic or a sprig of thyme or rosemary to the last wash to give it an extra flavour.

[@sidneyaarmstrong]

yummy yum!! I recently bought an olive loaf and I toasted it and put some honey on it. I had never had that combination, now i cannot imagine eating olive bread any other way.

[@MichaelaFreeman]

I have doves nesting on a tree outside my window. When they build their nest, they keep bringing twigs to weave them into the nest, some of them quite notably large. It immedately made me think of the olive branch.

[@jodricpalisbo7916]

In my language, what we refer to as "white" mostly just means "lighter" as in lighter in shade. The same must be true of other languages such as Greek or Latin.

[@ThatGuySizzleMac]

Yeah the Ancient Greeks weren't too big on naming things with colors, so things that were called "white" really meant lighter shaded and "black" was darker shaded. I think it was when the Romans became the main faction in Europe is when people started naming and describing things with actual colors.

[@tessat338]

I sometimes make wedding cakes as wedding gifts for friends. When tasting wedding cake samples, we counteract all that sweetness by taking breaks with little bites of olive tapenade or hummus.

[@jcarey568]

I am totally "relishing" this channel right now. Max, you're wonderful!

[@Electroceratops]

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but: IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: rue is not safe for consumption during pregnancy. Just FYI!

[@thetruffleshuffle21]

? evidence?

[@oftin_wong]

Driving a car isnt 100% safe either

[@user-nk8zx1yw8s]

@@oftin_wong nor is jumping off a cliff

[@oftin_wong]

@@user-nk8zx1yw8s I would have to agree

[@drflash36]

Agreed! The use of Rue IS rather toxic! See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruta_graveolens for details.

[@polishFantasyEN]

Your Tuesdays' uploads are a major incentive for surviving through Mondays.

[@TastingHistory]

HA! Thank you

[@victoriacarosella4962]

A lot of older civilizations did not have words for different colors. a light color would be referred to as white, where a dark color would be referred to as black. It was more so a scale of brightness.

[@FeRReTNS]

2:00 I love they way they used to write. It's an entire paragraph just to say. "uncured olives are bitter yo."

[@derpaderp9824]

Man I freaking love this show, I can't believe how entertaining Tasting History is, beats anything on the History channel or food network. Going to definitely make some of this olive relish.

[@Dingomush]

When you get a bit closer to modern history in the USA, you encounter “olive salad” which is used on Muffalatta sandwiches. I absolutely love that stuff! And the sandwiches!

[@Ogaitnas900]

"Even the goats spit is venemous to the plant" A mom came up with that, like "if you make faces outside it'll get stuck like that"

[@sima8323]

So, I am addicted to this channel. I made this Olive Dish with Kalamata Olives and its Excellent!! Also, had it with a side of brown bread, Mozzarella cheese and prosciutto with balsamic vinegar. Basically the ancient version of the Charcuterie Board.

[@BattyBigSister]

The way we define (and therefore 'see') colours actually varied(varies) over time ... and between cultures ... and even between people. If you're familiar with the names for mauve, tangerine, chartreuse, teal and so on you're more likely to consistently recognise and refine those different pigments than people who only see them as variations upon the theme of red, orange, yellow, green, blue etc.The Welsh for example have an extra colour between blue and green. Ask native Welsh speakers whether something is green, blue or the in-between colour and they'll give you a straight consistent answer, whereas people next door in England will be arguing over whether it's more blue or more green. There are also cultures that have very few colours. Some even using two classifications as simple as 'light' or 'dark'. What we recognise as colours in Europe/the West today actually diversified a lot over the centuries. The ancient Greeks didn't have a word for blue (among various other colours). The sky, for example, was considered white right up until the middle ages (I think. I confess I can't be bothered to look it up, but very old paintings etc will show a very light/white sky for this reason. And also because a true blue pigment was incredibly expensive even after people started producing and recognising it). (Paler) greens can be very similar to blue, so I suspect it was largely lumped into the same category. The Ancient Greeks then would have called green olives white olives, because they actually saw them as just a darker shade of white.

[@kylechina9697]

I’ve been watching for many months now, and these episodes are getting better and better. Max, your editing, humor, and historical explanations are becoming highly refined. Thank you!

[@alexandramaclachlan7597]

Here here! I've definitely noticed how his editing has crisped up as of late ;D

[@atmstorm1]

Love all these videos, it combines the two things I love most, food and history!

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you

[@juanitaespinoza6619]

Max you are the GOAT (greatest of all time).

[@ikazuchioni]

"Cash, cash is the most useful gift" no truer words have ever been said.

[@julietsmith5925]

Currency wasn't common in Bronze Age Greece, so they had a barter system instead.

[@melskunk]

Was NOT expecting the random Peridot.

[@theeristicwriter8280]

As both a chef and a history nerd this has quickly become not only my favorite youtube channel but my favorite show on any platform.

[@krankarvolund7771]

"I've always found it was a strange pairing fertility, wisdom and war." That's because Athena was never a goddes of fertility.... Well, it's really not one of her main attributes, she was perhaps a goddess of fertility in some areas, but most of the time, she's the goddess of wisdom, war, and craftmanship.

[@rosemali3022]

Ahhh... so your saying it was the patriarchy. Makes sense to me.

[@r.brandt2246]

@@rosemali3022 No, you annoying little shit, he just made a mistake.

[@icecell]

@@rosemali3022 what?

[@Keenath]

Yeah, and fertility would be a really weird addition to the portfolio of a goddess whose best-known epithet is Parthenos, "the virgin". While Athena is associated with olive trees, that's because olives were a symbol of commerce and trade (as a major cash crop), not of fertility.

[@krankarvolund7771]

@@Keenath And wisdom, in certain myths. And probably craftmanship as they made a lot of thing with the wood.. But yeah, the symbol of fertility is more the wheat ^^ Although, I found that Artemis was sometims associated with fertility, so virgin godesses were sometimes fertile XD

[@sampagano205]

Artemis, Athena, Apollo, Demeter, Hera, and Persephone have all been fertility gods in Greece. Fertility kind of just gets thrown onto a gods profile.

[@LordTimothyOfGlencoe]

Once the olives are brined, you wash them and put them into olive oil for a month before using, never throw the oil away, just add more olives, top up with more oil when necessary, the flavour profile is amazing, lost knowledge for free, kind regards Tim

[@LoveMakeShareTV]

Max, this was delightful. My daughter and I recently finished a fantasy novel set in ancient Greece and the main character and her family eat this early in the story. I found that cursory online research didn't yeild much info about ancient Greek cuisine - staples and common ingredients, sure, but not recipes. It would be wonderful to see more ancient Greek recipes on the channel! Thanks for all the wonderful videos.

[@ma910]

Just wondering, what was the novel?

[@LifesPeachy321]

*Marinate - Giving your ingredients time to rendezvous and marry!* I love how my mother use to explain things to me...don't just jump right in there...give them time to rendezvous and marry!

[@phoebe8598]

In portugal we have an entry dish (?)/appetizer that is similar to this. I personally recommend adding garlic to this - it's so good

[@neverlandxx73]

Awesome video again :) “If you deconstruct Greece, you will, in the end, see an olive tree, a grapevine, and a boat remain. That is, with as much, you reconstruct her.” - Odysseas Elytis

[@ΓιάννηςΜουστάκας-ο8θ]

Ποτε δεν περιμενα αναφορα στον Ελυτη σε ενα μαγειρικο βιντεο,αλλα κοιτα που εδω ειμαστε! Οντως η πεμπτουσια της Ελλαδος!

[@n4t3or1ous1]

i remember reading somewhere that the "olive branch signifying peace" thing is because it took a number of years to grow to maturity and that could only happen if no armies came marching through the place, any idea on the accuracy of that?

[@paavobergmann4920]

sounds lit

[@andrewsuryali8540]

This is one of those things that may be both true and false at the same time. It is true that many ancient peoples believed what you said because we do have ancient writers who proposed that origin for the use of the olive branch. However, in real life olive trees are really hardy once planted on the right soil and climate and they don't require much maintenance until they got old, which is when regular pruning must be done. So while it does take many years for olive trees to grow, they can survive abandonment just fine. Additionally, most mediterranean cultures had some sort taboo against damaging olive trees ingrained in their religious beliefs, as the Athenian example here shows and the similar Levantine taboos preserved in the Bible suggest even more strongly. Armies on the march might displace the olive farmers and plantation owners, but unless their leaders were especially stupid or deliberately trying to piss off the gods, they'd leave the olive trees alone. If you were an Assyrian warlord on the march down the Levant, you'd make damn sure every single olive tree remained intact because those are your future assets. Simple economics may have been the real origin of the olive branch. "Hey, uh, I have a bunch of these trees, so if you let me and my people live we'll give you 40% of our production. Deal?"

[@michaelhayes1678]

I have admittedly been binge-watching your channel without commenting generally, but must say "Wow!" All the work, forethought, research you put into these must be exhausting, yet you administer each episode bedight with such positivity, passion, and fun! It may not mean much, but thank you for serving it forth. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@Stratigic_Cheese_Reserve]

I wasn't expecting the Goat scream, Nearly died laughing.

[@AliciaNyblade]

"Does anyone else remember 'Touched by an Angel'?" Yep. Angels were the "it" supernatural creature of the '90s, and I remember "Touched by an Angel" was huge back then. I was a kid at the time and used to watch it every week with my mom. In retrospect, every episode was the same: The angels encounter a human/group of humans who think they don't need help, circumstances lead the humans to hit absolute rock-bottom, and the angels who have disguised themselves as random fellow humans in their lives reveal who they are to the human characters. Then the human characters turn their lives more strongly toward the god who let them go through all that in the first place and the angels celebrate gaining more souls for the Big Guy Upstairs and move on to their next assignment.

[@jaehaspels9607]

My Dad loved that show. 10 minutes before show time, he's make us all shut up and say, "It's time for Monica." I think he had a crush on her.

[@AliciaNyblade]

@@jaehaspels9607 I wouldn't blame him. The actress who played her did so well in the role and has such a lovely speaking voice. One of my childhood crushes from the show was on Andrew. XD

[@AsmodeusMictian]

"You believe in a book that has talking animals, wizards, witches, demons, sticks turning into snakes, burning bushes, food falling from the sky, people walking on water, and all sorts of magical, absurd, and primitive stories, and you say that we are the ones that need help?" - Mark Twain. I always found it strange that a god of 'love' would use disease, famine, and tragedy to ensure we understood the consequence of not thinking about him all the time. Wait, I mean... "how very loved we are". >_>

[@AliciaNyblade]

@@AsmodeusMictian Exactly. The Christian concept of the divine as being "all good and all-loving" yet causing or allowing people to suffer when they don't have him--because of course it's a him--on their minds 24/7 is really disturbing when you start to think about it. Questioning that was one of the things which led me to seek a spiritual path other than the Christianity I'd been raised with, even though I'd grown up in one of its more open, progressive denominations, Episcopalian. I'm now a practicing Wiccan and, to me, the divine is made up of deities who are beings of both light and dark, multi-faceted just as nature is both serene and harsh.

[@AsmodeusMictian]

@@AliciaNyblade I'm an atheist (ok, granted I belong to the Temple of Satan but that's another story...) but that's not my point. My point is that I'm married to a Wiccan High Priestess :D Good times. Blessed be and have a great night :)

[@intractablemaskvpmGy]

I make this similarly but without chopping. It works well as a relish, and I make it most often during the xmas-new years holidays for charcuterie. Most certainly good for year round and may I suggest using greek yogurt or strain some regular, mix in crushed garlic some oregano and lemon juice as the cheese component My olive tree almost died in winter storm Uri, it started to grow back and then the subsequent drought finished it off. I thought they were tougher than that but....

[@sweepingtime]

Just a bit of bread soaked in olive oil makes for a wonderful snack.

[@spymaster3366]

Try adding feta and oregano even better

[@ginacirelli1581]

My grandfathers were stonecutters from Italy, and "pane alia" was what the families snacked on, being too poor for anything else.

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

Olives and Greek stuff. You're up my alley on that one.

[@TheParadoxGamer1]

Fun fact! The pairing of Fertility and War is entirely common amongst many differing religions! Another great example is The Morrígan from Irish mythology! She is a triple deity, oftentimes believed to be either one entity who shape shifts into differing forms, or is three entities who share a title, and she is connected to fertility, war and sovereignty!

[@shuleshersh13]

“LIKE BAMBOO THIS TREE GREW!” 😅 You went from Professor Max Mode to manifesting my Yiddish grandmother so fast. 🤣🤣 Your sudden outbreaks of humor wreck me.

[@gatamadriz]

I was thinking Mel Brooks in 1000 year old man LOL

[@kimvibk9242]

I was thinking Yoda, but more power to your grandmother, @Shules Hersh...!

[@shuleshersh13]

@@gatamadriz That made me lol. 😂 Great reference.

[@shuleshersh13]

@@kimvibk9242 I like it!

[@shuleshersh13]

@@kimvibk9242 I like it!

[@taekwongurl]

Yeah, but pitting the seeds by hand makes the recipe more "historically accurate." :P

[@TastingHistory]

True. I meant to do that... 🤣

[@darthcuny]

smash the olives with pits with your chef's knife since you're going to chop them up anyway.

[@faelreklaw8837]

In school we do Lysias speeches. Its a class called Ancient greek subject Rhetoric. It is amazing how litteraly the speeches Lysias wrote for his clientelle are like todays tv court shows. Literally a window to the daily era of our ancestors. Have a nice day peace to all from Hellas

[@analogbunny]

Definitely going to try this, but in my case I'll be using dried herbs. Not out of cheapness or laziness, but because herbs have a different flavour profiles dry from fresh - especially mint, which is more savoury when dry and more sweet when fresh. Also fresh rue is basically impossible to find.

[@ragnkja]

Use whatever gives you the flavours you want.

[@SmartStart24]

I love watching all of your videos but I’m going to be totally honest I would not bother to make about 85% of them. But every now and then there is one I seriously consider and this is one! Sounds delicious and simple enough!

[@xenamorphazousou1547]

I love this channel ...More on the Greeks history

[@clewslisa]

On the note about white olives this episode (I'm studying a BA in fine art) I'd have to double check to confirm this is why, but "White olives" might be white for the same reason Homer's "Wine-dark sea" is described as... well, wine color! Language for colors evolves over time, and it starts out more as groups! (Like, there's a LOT of greens. The divisions between individual colors increase with time) The word "White" might actually be referring to more of a group of pale colors at the time, rather then our understanding of white So like, cultures learn "Black/Dark" and "White/Pale" first, and then "Red", and then... idk. There's an order I forget. I've read academic papers on it tho Then again, maybe they did have a word for green at the time, I may be wrong

[@Cosmic-Crow]

I wish this channel was around when I was taking Latin in high school! We’d occasionally have parties where we’d dress in a “toga” (bedsheet) and bring in dishes from Ancient Rome. Not sure how many teenagers would like olive relish, but I still want an excuse to make it!

[@notsceansscreamer]

I enjoy OLIVE your videos and all the thought put into your videos!

[@jeannettecarpenter3784]

Max, get a cherry pitter, works on olives as well.

[@Fuzzy_Spork]

When I was a kid one of my favorite snacks was a bagel or bread with cream cheese and green olives on it. This is just fancier! Haha. But olive relish is one of my favorite things now.

[@CaLemLiza]

all your videos make me feel so cozy!