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These olives are a top pick

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published March 14, 2007

Forget cookies and chips, one of our panelists has to share a jar of olives with her children to manage a long trip through the grocery store. While she usually grabs the first jar on the aisle, her fellow judges said they will reach for Lindsay olives to flavor their next dish or drink.

Panelists sampled 10 varieties of Manzanilla pimento-stuffed olives from local grocery store shelves.

The only ones that all four panelists agreed they would buy were the Lindsay brand $1.89 for a 5.75-ounce jar at Publix. They awarded the Lindsay olives 72 out of 100 possible points.

Judges preferred the lighter green color of the olives as well as the smooth texture and size. They were large enough to chop for a dinner salad and small enough to drop into a predinner cocktail.

"These are great and salty," said the olive-sharing mom on our panel. "My kids would finish these off in the grocery store."

Another judge described them as "mouth-warming."

"They have a good first burst of salt followed by a buttery taste," he said.

Two of the four judges said they also would buy Publix brand olives ($1.29 for a 5.75-ounce jar), giving them 66 points.

The Publix olives were a bit more salty than the others, giving them a flavor that judges described as "strong."

"The vinegar taste hits the mouth pretty hard, however the taste of the olive is very pleasing," said one panelist.

Two brands tied for third place in our survey. Judges gave 60 points to olives from Albertsons ($1.89 for a 5.75-ounce jar) and Bella ($1.49 for a 5-ounce jar at Sweetbay). Again, two of the four judges said they would try both brands.

Judges liked the balance between the vinegar and salt in the two brands. They also liked the darker green hue and the plumpness of olives from both jars.

"It almost looks like there is olive oil in the brine," one judge said of the Bella olives.

Another liked the "smooth" Bella brand, but said the Albertsons olives were "hot-headed."

Also sampled were olives from: Goya ($1.69 for a 5.5-ounce jar at Publix); Reese ($3.69 for a 10-ounce jar at Publix); Italica ($3.59 for a 21-ounce jar from Publix); Star ($1.99 for a 7-ounce jar at Sweetbay); Hannaford ($1.29 for a 5.75-ounce jar at Sweetbay); and Mario ($6.48 for two 21-ounce jars at Sam's).

Panelists were: Nan Jensen, registered dietitian with Pinellas County Cooperative Extension; Bob Devin Jones, artistic director of Studio@620 James McConnell, chef at Pepin Restaurant in St. Petersburg; and personal chef and mother of four, Julie Overton. All foods were tasted blind. You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send requests to You Asked for It, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number.

Judges' rankings

Green olives

1. Lindsay

2. Publix

3. Albertsons

Bella

[Last modified March 13, 2007, 12:34:28]