Cracked Provençal

About Cracked Provençal
Olives are an intrinsic part of everyday life in France's Provence region, particularly in the fall and winter when the olive harvest is underway. And the fruit of this ancient tree flavors an infinite array of traditional dishes from Salad Nicoise and cake aux olives, olive bread, to tapanade which is olive purée and pissaladiere which is onion, olive and anchovy tart. The variety of olives harvested in Provence is particularly rich. Their colors range from pale straw to jet black. Their textures vary from firm to fleshy and their size and shape from tiny ovals to half-moons, and larger, fat rounds. If the size and shape of different olives depend upon their variety or, their color is always a measure of ripeness. During the ripening process, olives pass through a spectrum of shades from pale green to tan, then to violet and finally to brownish-red and coal black before they start to wrinkle in the rays of the sun. Even when fully ripened, the fruit of the olive tree remains inedible bitter in its natural state. The olives that we savor on the tables and in the cuisine of Provence are truly products of man's ingenuity. Transforming this bitter fruit into a culinary delight requires careful curing to draw out its acidulous.