Products in brine


Since the beginning of man's existence, he has faced the problem of how to preserve food during the seasons in which it was scarce. The most practical method was the use of ice, followed by smoking foods, salting, and drying. Among the truly natural preservatives are: kitchen salt, sugar, oil and vinegar.
Quite simply, the use of salt or brine (sea salt and water) is based on the idea that the salt enters into the vegetables tissues, inhibiting the growth of bacteria that could provoke the deterioration of the food. Moreover, preservation in brine allows vegetables' orginal characteristics to be preserved.
Ciao Organics suggests 2 shapes of food products in brine:

Fresh Cherry Tomatoes (Click here to see more)
Bella Olives from Cerignola (Click here to see more)

They are inviting products which can be tasted in hundreds ways: alone as an antipasto, combined with meat or fish dishes, in fresh salads.


Bella Olives from Cerignola
The cultivation of the prized variety “Bella di Cerignola” in the sun-drenched Puglia region of Italy is thought to have been introduced to Italy around 1400 A.D. Some believe it derives from the “orchites” variety in the times of the Romans. Others believe it originated from Spain. In any case, it is a pure variety which assumed characteristics superior to the original varieties from which it descends. This is due not only to its organaleptic characteristics, but also to the sunlight and natural terrain in which it grows. And to honour its high quality, it was given the name “Bella di Cerignola”. At the beginning of the 1900’s, the olives were pitted and treated with salt, pepper, and spices and then conserved in glass jars and sent to America (mainly California), for use by housewives. At the present day, the olive trees that produce Cerignola are found only in this area.

From the city of Cerignola is born one of the most flavourful olive varieties found in the Mediterranean basin. The Cerignola olive is large and fleshy, hard but sweet, with a pleasantly fruity taste. It is preserved in brine (water, marine salt) allowing its original characteristics to be preserved. These “bella” or beautiful olives can be enjoyed with an aperitif, or the Mediterranean diet suggests that they be eaten with white meats such as rabbit or turkey, accompanied by white wine.


Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
This tomato variety is small and round. When ripe, thanks to the Southern Italian sun and the terrain in which it is cultivated, its pulp has a high concentration of sugars and minerals. For this reason, the Italian cherry tomato is sweet and tasty, and indispensable as an accompaniment to summer dishes.
It is harvested between the months of July and August, and its fresh taste is brought to the table thanks to its conservation in water and marine salt. It is excellent eaten with fish, in salads, or simply by itself.