Thanks BT! Yes, these olives have a "briny" taste to them. I am used to the canned American style ones, so these caught me off guard. Just had a slice of leftovers and the flavor mellowed out a bit, but after reading your post I could taste it. Please forgive my tastebuds, but around here, pizza is mediocre at best. (As mentioned in many a post on West Michigan Pizzas)..