Harmony
Compared to other fruit varieties, which are picked from their branches and readily eaten, the olive fruit does not easily surrender.
Over time, processes have been developed which eliminate the acerbity and the bitterness of olives. First, the acerbity and the bitterness of the olives were eliminated by storing them in water. Then, they were sweetened by dipping them into ash, vinegar, or lime water and were made resistant to aging by pickling in brine, by cutting or cracking. The brine used to be blended with lemon, fennel, mastic, thyme, peppermint, and other herbs, making the flavor of olives more pleasant. A total of 92 varieties of olives are produced in Türkiye with the Memecik, Ayvalık, Çelebi, Gemlik, Domat, Edremit, and Erkence varieties being the most well known.