Olives from Spain giveaway

Spanish culture has always had a huge influence in my life.  I grew up in the Philippines, a former Spanish colony.  My grandmother is half Spanish, and as a result, my kids and I have Spanish citizenship.  And we love Spanish food!  One Spanish food we can't live without is olives.  I cook with olive oil every day, and olives are a staple in our household.  Black olives, green olives, you name it, we love it.  Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy olives:

Mix minced olives into chicken salad
Serve olive slices on crostini with goat cheese and roasted red peppers
Skewer whole olives on stick along with cherry tomatoes, cubed salami, fresh mozarella, and pasta
Make an olive tapenade and spread on toast
Toss olives with fresh tomatoes and pasta with olive oil and fresh basil leaves
Toss olives into salad
Scatter olives on top of pizza

I realize that olives can seem like quite an exotic food.  They have a strong, distinct flavor which we love, but I  know many people can be hesitant to try them!  To help people learn more about olives, Olives from Spain invited me to submit a few questions to Chef Annie Sibonney, Cooking Network star and Spanish cuisine expert on all things entertaining and olives.  Here are my questions:

Where do the best olives grow?
What is the difference between a green olive and a black olive?
What's the best way to store olives?
How long do olives last?

Chef Annie graciously answered my questions in the video below, so make sure you watch the video (it's only 3.5 minutes!) to find out the answers.  The video also showcases some of Chef Annie's favorite ways to serve olives. Check it out!

More Fun Olive Facts

Did you know...

Spain is the world leader in production and export of table olives – supplying more than 155 million lbs. into the U.S

Olives from Spain are naturally sugar-free and contain monounsaturated fats, which can improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart attack/stroke risk

95% of stuffed pimiento olives consumed by Americans come from Spain

During harvest in September and October, olives are picked one by one to avoid damaging the fruit.

Spain’s sunny weather, temperate winters and rich, fertile soil are idyllic for growing the perfect olive.

Check out the Olives from Spain website for more information about olives and some great recipes.

Win a Olives From Spain Prize Pack

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an Olives From Spain prize pack, consisting of:

• olive serving dish 
• can of Olives from Spain
• branded toothpicks
• Olives from Spain tote bag
• Olives from Spain apron
• Olives from coasters

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite kind of olive or your favorite olive dish.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry you complete, with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, Facebook id, Pinterest id, etc..)

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry)

5) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I joined the Olives from Spain giveaway Bonggamom Finds!  Ends 11/27/14 http://ow.ly/E5AfL

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to win an Olives from Spain prize pack! Giveaway on @bonggafinds ends 11/27 http://ow.ly/E5AfL

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59 PST on November 27, 2014. I will draw a winner at random on November 28 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received an Olives from Spain gift bag similar to the one being given away The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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