Picholine olives

Picholine olives are small green French olives. These nutty flavored olives are harvested green and retain a crisp texture making them a good eating olive or a nice addition to your martini.

Picholine olives originated in Gard, in Southern France. Today they are grown everywhere from South America to Morocco.  You can add these little olives to your cheese board and serve with some brie and crusty bread.  They also pair well with a Sauvignon Blanc.

If you don't have  olives then there are some good substitutes including:

• If you don't have Picholine olives you can substitute Niçoise olives which work great in a Nicoise salad or as a table olive.
• OR - Castelvetrano olives are a delicious crunchy textured, buttery flavored olive
• OR - You can use the common green olive which will be softer.