olives in the microwave: what the HECK was that?

I decided that I'd like a few olives to nibble on and a glass of white wine after lunch today, and I decided I'd like the olives warm for a change rather than cold.

So I put a half dozen pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives in a bowl with a sprinkle of kosher salt and a sprinkle of olive oil. In less than 20 seconds, the bowl was emitting not only bubbles but SPARKS! Just after I saw a particularly big spark that I was afraid would set the oil on fire, I pulled the microwave door open.

The warm olives made a decent snack, but I'm still wondering, what is it about a dish of pimento-stuffed olives, kosher salt, and olive oil that nearly caught on fire in my microwave?

What kind of bowl did you put the olives in? I've seen fireworks when I used a mug that had a design that I didn't realize was outlined in a faint metal thread.

Here's an article on why grapes spark in the microwave.
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/de ... .Ph.r.html

There is a discussion, specifically about sparking olives here:
http://www.sciforums.com/archive/index.php/t-4689.html

I'm not sure what the truth is but I suspect lack of mass. Try microwaving the olives with a glass of water (with a chopstick in the glass to prevent sudden boiling).

-ramon

Wow -- who knew microwaving olives or grapes would lead to a lesson in physics. I was thinking it might be the chunks of Kosher salt, if not the container.

Cynthia, as a sometime professor of physics, I'm telling you, ANYthing--even cooking olives--can lead to a lesson in that noble science.

(At least we profs use just about ANYthing to introduce a lesson in that noble science.

Geo

I've had this happen, as well, and always wondered what the problem was--a bit unnerving!