Halutza Green Olives

Every so often, I pick up something at a job lot store that I wish was widely available in the regular markets in my area. These Halutza brand green olives are a prime example.

Grown, cured, and packaged in Israel, these are some of the best-tasting green olives I've ever had. They're not too salty and have just the right bittersweet tang that one expects. The texture is just right - tender without being mushy - and to top it off, they're canned in these great-looking barrel-shaped lined tins! What is not to love?

Alas, there is a reason products this good wind up remaindered in the cut-out stores, and this run of Halutza olives is no exception. The label clearly reads "Large 15-17." I'm not sure what the Israelis think "large" means, but I'm positive these olives don't qualify. Any American processor would have labeled them as "small." Also, the back of the can reads: "Caution: 2% of olives may contain pits." Interesting. I guess no one told the label designer that these are unpitted olives.

Halutza's loss was my gain, though. The 750 ml tin was only $1.50.