Marmarabirlik Doğal Yağlı Salamura Siyah Zeytin is the oiled-brine style of Turkish black olive: ripe olives cured in brine and finished with a little oil, giving a soft, glossy texture and a mild, rounded savoury taste. This is the M grade, labelled 261-290 olives per kilogram, in a generous plastic jar with a net weight of 965 g and 950 g of drained olives. The pack carries the Koruyucu İçermez seal (no preservatives) and the cooperative product mark of the Marmara olive growers' union.
These are everyday breakfast olives. Serve them with white cheese, sliced tomatoes, cucumber and warm bread, or with menemen and eggs. In the kitchen they work in salads, pizza and pide toppings, tomato sauces, and rice or bulgur dishes. For a simple meze, mix them with olive oil, thyme, garlic and a little lemon zest and leave them for an hour.
The manufacturer lists an 18-month shelf life for this jar unopened. Keep it in a cool, dry place; after opening, keep the olives in the fridge with the lid closed and use a clean spoon each time.