Origin and Production
"FOR MARINATED ANTIPASTI, FETA, AND OLIVES."
This blend is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, where herbs, lemon, fennel, and chili are classically used for marinating feta, olives, goat cheese, grilling cheese, and antipasti. The ingredients are carefully combined to ensure a balanced blend of the citrusy note with thyme, oregano, fennel, and chili flakes.
Taste and Aroma
The taste is Mediterranean, herbaceous, and slightly spicy. Lemon provides a clear, bright note, while thyme and oregano contribute the typical Mediterranean herbal character. Fennel adds a subtly sweet, warm nuance, and chili flakes provide a pleasant heat.
Application
Ideal for marinating feta, olives, goat cheese, grilling cheese, antipasti, sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables, mushrooms, or mozzarella.
Simply mix the blend with good olive oil and let feta, olives, or goat cheese marinate in it for several hours. It works particularly well with large, fleshy olives, as they absorb marinades very well. Small olives are often more intense, saltier, or more tart in taste, while large olives appear milder, juicier, and more pleasant for marinating.
Green olives are usually firmer, more tart, and have a somewhat stronger bite. Black or dark olives often taste milder, riper, and softer. Kalamata olives bring a fruity, slightly tart note. Manzanilla olives are smaller, mild, and classic for antipasti. Large varieties like Gordal, Halkidiki, or Cerignola are particularly fleshy and are very suitable for marinating, stuffing, and pickling.
Size also plays a role: the larger the olive, the more pulp and the better it absorbs oil, herbs, and spices. Very large sizes such as Colossal or Super Colossal are therefore particularly popular for marinated olives, antipasti, and Mediterranean appetizers.
If olives taste too bitter, it often helps to rinse them briefly beforehand and let them soak in fresh water or mild brine for some time. Then drain them well and only then marinate them with oil and the spice blend. A little lemon, herbs, and a good oil can further round off the bitterness.
For a stronger aroma, extra virgin olive oil is suitable. For a milder marinade, you can use a milder olive oil or mix olive oil with a more neutral oil so that lemon, fennel, and herbs remain more prominent.
Good to know
Olives differ not only by variety but also by ripeness, processing, and size. Green olives are harvested earlier and are usually firmer and more tart. Dark olives are riper and often appear softer, milder, and rounder in taste. Large olives offer more pulp, while small olives often bring a more intense, concentrated taste.
Designations like Jumbo, Colossal, or Super Colossal primarily describe the size of the olive, not automatically the variety. Large olives are particularly well suited for feta, goat cheese, herbal oil, and antipasti because they absorb spices and marinades beautifully.
The natural bitterness of olives comes from bitter substances, which are reduced during processing by water, brine, or fermentation. This is why well-prepared olives taste milder and rounder than raw or poorly watered olives.
With lemon, thyme, fennel, chili, and oregano, a simple Mediterranean oil marinade is created that quickly gives feta, olives, goat cheese, and antipasti more depth, spice, and Mediterranean character.
Ingredients
Lemon, thyme, fennel, chili flakes, oregano.
