In Salamoia : “I rinse the olives in water and then marinate them with whatever I have lying around the house.

Hailing from Trapani, Sicily, these early harvest olives are cured for just 10 days using the Castelvetrano method (named after the Sicilian town which developed it). In our case, we look to Lorenzo Piccione, our olive expert of Pianogrillo farm in Chiaramonte Gulfi, Sicily.Its easygoing flavor is not the only reason for its growing popularity, this olive happens to be very versatile. The best, most fastidious olive growers use a traditional, if time-consuming, method: They pick the olives by hand. Both of these Italian olives are cured in the same way—a lye bath processing, which is quick and allows olives to retain their irresistibly crisp, meaty texture. They are featured on restaurant menus, on cheese boards, in Mediterranean-inspired recipes, you name it.

Castelvetrano olives, like most green olives, are harvested young when they reach peak flavor and a green color. Our Whole Italian Castelvetrano Olives from Italy boast a distinct green hue and are famous for their crisp, meaty texture and mild, buttery finish. But hand-picking is also a financial sink-hole, so you can expect to shell out some serious cash for these guys.It makes for a delicious accompaniment to roasted chicken, salad, or even on a charcuterie board to pair with cheese and crackers. Olive varieties get their distinctive qualities from their genetics, their region and climate, and how they were harvested and cured.