The olive is the fruit of the olive tree and is known as "Olea europaea". Its color varies from green to gray tones, golden, light brown, purple or black. The darker, the longer the fruit is matured . About 25% of its composition is olive oil, is rich in beneficial fatty acids to increase levels of "good cholesterol".

It is difficult to establish the date of appearance of the trees. However, there is evidence that these trees exist at the time of the Upper Paleolithic and presumed to have appeared in the Asia Minor. Their dispersion across Europe to have will been due to the Greeks. The Greeks and Romans, true connoisseurs and olive oil producers, were lavish to discover her applications. In addition to their use in the kitchen, applying oil as a medicine, ointment or balm, perfume, fuel for lighting and waterproof fabric. Later, the olive-culture was spreading across the Mediterranean and across the maritime expeditions of the Portuguese, eventually came to the Americas. Eventually spread all over the world, where weather conditions were favorable to him. The olive and olive oil continue to occupy a privileged position in the Portuguese popular culture.

The olive harvest is an agricultural work that takes place between the months of November and February, and the olives can not be eaten as soon as they are harvested from the tree, they require treatment to reduce their bitterness caused by glycoside presence of oleuropein a constituent its "skin".

In Baixo Guadiana the interest of families for olive growing is maintained, focusing on the production of oil, the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, and the olives pickled. the crushed olives are well known, jagged, or salt water, always present in populations of the local table.

In economic terms, in addition to oil, there are also marketed various types of olive stuffed table olives (from carrot almonds are several existing filling typologies) and, more recently, the olive paste.

*Image in Roteiro dos Sabores do Baixo Guadiana 2018