Peter:
>Have you ever tried to eat olives fresh off the tree?  I wonder if
>that is possible and how they would taste?

We have eaten a few "dried off the tree" and could rarely eat more than one
or two. Rich and greasy but biting--tannin. These were from an old
non-irrigated orchard near our house in San Marcos (sold! yippie) and
probably not prime quality...

I would guess that your body would really have to be starving for oil to
put up with the tannin (ie. to let the flavor be good), Tannin is a good
example of an anti-nutient/toxin which must be nuetralized in order to
benefit from the other portions of a food. Instinctos probably have an
increased ability to deal with tannin (even under-ripe persimmons) but I
can't imagine the body choosing olives over avos, nuts, or animal fats.

Cheers,
Kirt