Olives

Another relatively new discovery I’ve eaten with reckless abandon in the past five years is halloumi, often featured in Greek cuisine, slicked with olive oil and a touch of honey, served alongside olives, pita or salads.

Remember, texture doesn’t always mean crunch—it can also mean chewiness, density, or something toothsome, like dates, figs, rice noodles, or pitted olives.

We feasted on hearty bowls of soup, silky hummus topped with falafel, a shawarma wrap and a medley of delicious olives.

After all, in the mid-90s, Supermarket News declared that the olive bar “was not just olives anymore.”

Artichoke hearts, mushroom caps, pimentos and roasted peppers mingled with olives from around the world, creating a colorful, briny spectacle.