Amfissa Olives are a style of prepared olives made from Conservolea olives grown in the Amfissa valley at Delphi, in the central mainland of Greece.
The Conservolea trees start bearing olives in 3 to 4 years. The olives can be harvested green or black. When black, they are actually a dark purple to a very dark purple. Both green and black are cured in brine.
The olives are more round than oval, with meaty, soft flesh, and a mellow flavour that is mildly sweet.
The olives are also used for olive oil, though the olive is not one of the highest yielding olives as far as oil is concerned.
Around 70% of the tables olives produced in Greece are Amfissa (as of 2004.)
History Notes
At the time of the Oracle (from the 8th century BC to the early 400s AD), the plains around Delphi were bare. Now, they are filled with groves of Amfissa olive trees.