Green olives are the small fruits of trees that are native to Mediterranean Europe. Picked in their unripened state and then cured, green olives are generally more sharp tasting than ripe black olives. Pitted olives are occasionally stuffed with strips of pickled red pimientos. Quality Italian green olives are sold in well-stocked food stores. Green olives are sold by the pound and in bottles or cans.
To pit an olive:
Use a special olive pitter, which grips the olive and pushes out the pit in one squeeze. Or, with a small knife, slit the olive lengthwise down to the pit and pry the flesh away from the pit. If the flesh sticks to the pit, carefully cut away.