Airplane Olive in Hong Kong

Do you know that there is a snack in Hong Kong that can fly?

“That’s impossible. It’s not like it is airplane”, you say?

Oh…but it IS airplane!

Have you ever heard of “Airplane Olive”?

Airplane Olive (飛機欖) is a kind of preserve snack originated from Guangzhou, and is also called “licorice olive”. It is olive marinated with licorices (duh), dried citrus peel, cinnamon, lilac, peppermint, salt and sugar, making it sweet while being slightly sour. During 1950s – 1970s, Airplane Olive vendor would usually carry them in an olive-shape container (which looks like a bomb to me) and shout on the street to look for customers.

“But you said it can fly?”

I did, and I am not kidding. Mr. Kwok Kam Kei (郭鑒基), nicknamed “Father of Airplane Olive”, thought of a really interesting way to deliver the olives. You know that during that time, buildings in Hong Kong were usually just a few storeys tall? So, how did he hand the olives to customers lived upstairs?

Yep, you guessed it. He threw the olives to the people and the people would throw the money back at him! The olives reached the customers as if they “flew” into their house! Some customers recalled that if thrown right, the olives can even reach 13^th floor! Imagine the scene…

Too bad you can’t see this now…I don’t think the police will let you go, and no way can the olives reach the customers who live on 32th floor…

But, hey, you can still buy the olives from the snack shops. And I heard that it helps if you have sore throat or serious phlegm problem. Wanna give it a try?