First Century kitchen page 10

First Century kitchen page 10 by ric gustafson


Olives and olive oil were very important to a first century diet. Olive trees have been around for at least five thousand years. Olive trees flourished in the time of Jesus and his followers. Because of olive trees, olive oil became an important commodity. Olive trees were a part of the landscape of Judea and Galilee. Some of the trees grew to at least fifty feet high and a canopy of thirty feet. The average life of an olive tree was five hundred years and some lived longer. Olives are fruit with a single seed or pit. Olive trees bloom in the spring and the fruit ripen in the fall. When olives ripen, they turn a darker green and then a dark black color. Black and green olives come from the same trees and differ only in degree of ripeness. Olives need mild weather but also a long hot growing season. Olives were the last crop to be harvested before winter.
To pick olives, the workers spread a tarp under one of the trees. One worker would shake the branches and pick what he could catch. One worker would use a long pole to hit the branches so the fruit would fall on the tarp. A third worker would gather and seperate the olives and put them into baskets. The goal was to pick the most ripe dark olives they could find. These were the best for olive oil.
Olive oil was the preferred oil for cooking. It was used as an ingredient as it is today. It was used as a dip for bread, vegetables and meat. It was also used for lamps and lighting. Olive oil was also used as an ointment and medicine. People were anointed with olive oil for a blessing. Olive oil was used for praying for healing.
Olives and olive trees represented joy and peace.
Next we will look at a first century banquet.


research help:  ' The Food and Feasts of Jesus' by Douglas Neel and Joel Pugh


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric