Sun-dried black olives became one of the pleasant gastronomic discoveries on my last trip to Turkey. The olives I have tried before are not at all like Turkish olives. The shops in my city usually sell canned olives, the taste of which I do not like at all. As far as I know, such olives do not ripen naturally and they are additionally tinted. Turkish olives are completely natural, ripened naturally. Their taste is completely different – it is brighter and more intense, moderately salty. They are slightly wrinkled, have a fairly soft fleshy consistency and a thin rind.
Each package with olives indicates their size in the format number of pieces per 1 kg. Accordingly, the higher this indicator, the smaller the olives. On average, the cost per pack of 500 grams is only $ 2-3. (prices for 2021)
In stores, olives are sold in vacuum packages, in glass or plastic jars. The first option is more convenient to carry on the plane (even in hand luggage).
Sun-dried black olives, it seems to me, is a wonderful appetizer. They go well with cheese and bread. Before serving, I advise you to sprinkle them a little more with lemon juice – it’s very tasty. I also add them to pizza, salads and pasta, a variety of egg dishes.
You can also buy ready-made olive pasta in stores. The cost of 1 jar of 175 grams is less than $ 1. This paste has a rather thick consistency. It can be served as an appetizer with a cracker or bruschetta. It will not be superfluous to add aromatic herbs to such a paste.
Also from Turkey you can bring Tahini and pekmez as an edible souvenir https://takajaeda.com/en/food-and-travel/turkey/tahini-and-pekmez/