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The Olivier en Provence

29 April 2008

There are trees everywhere in 5 departments of Provence and French Riviera (Vaucluse, Var, Bouches du Rhone Alpes de Haute Provence, Alpes Maritimes). Each village has olive trees (whether ornamental landscape or for the production of olives), but the large olive groves are concentrated in particular:
- in the Alpilles: Les Baux, Maussanes, Mouries (french largest producer with 75 000 olive trees), Tarascon, Fontvieille, Aureille, Eyguières Camargue and St Martin de Crau.
- in the hinterland of Nice: Nice, Grasse, Levens, Castagniers, Tourette sur Loup, La Trinidad,
in the centre-Var: Draguignan, Flayosc, Lorgues, Luke Besse on Issole, Carces, Val,
in the high-Var: Aups, Cotignac, Tourtour, Salernes, Tavernes, Varages, Barjols, the country of Fayence with Bargemon, Seillans, Callian, Montauroux,
- Var in the west: The Beausset, Farlède, La Cadière, Le Castellet,
- in the Durance valley in the Alpes de Haute Provence: Mées, Lurs, Manosque, Prayer.
The tree request 5 to 6 years before giving its first fruits, 30 years to produce at full capacity. The bloom falls between April and June, the harvest lasts from October to February depending on location. The size takes place in February-March, it gives rise to much debate and controversy has several schools on how to prune the branches of olive trees. The fruit murissant go from green to black (there is no black olive and olive green, everything is a matter of time gathering).

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The Olives

29 April 2008

The bitterness of olives (whether green or black) makes uneatable when it comes to be picked. There are several possible preparations, the green are soaked and rinsed with clean water several days of affiliates, then they are prepared in brine. They can be flavoured in many ways, lemon, thyme, garlic, parsley,… perfumes Provence are not lacking. Cueillie from September (and therefore green), olives with fennel broken Baux is a specialty deemed to be consumed premiere until Christmas.

To prepare black olives should be stung with small needles to get their juice and then burying them in salt. It is also called table olives (for an aperitif or kitchen) olive confectionery, and those who prepare in large quantities: confectioners.
The different qualities of olives:
There are different kinds of Provence olives, each coin has its preferred species and has one or several varieties to the delight of connoisseurs and gourmets. Some valleys have their AOC.

Alpes de Haute Provence and the Vaucluse:
Aglandau - Bouteillan - Verdale - (perfect for oil, green medium-sized).

Alpes Maritimes:
Caillette or Cailletier (for the table, a small, black or brown and fragrant).

Bouches du Rhone:
Picholine-Aglandau - Grossane (black and soft) - Salonenque (olive green or broken).

Var:
Aglandau - Bouteillan - Cayet Roux - Cayon - Brown - Ribier, (for oil) Picholine - Lucque - Belgentiéroise - Cailletier

(for the table).