Olive Bella di Cerignola | I Contadini - 550g

Big, green, hand-picked one by one around Cerignola in the province of Foggia, then cured the traditional Sevillian way: a soda treatment, a careful wash and about six months in brine. I Contadini, a family farm in Ugento, in the heel of Italy, jar them with nothing more than water, whole salt and a little lemon juice.

Mild, buttery and crisp, with very little bitterness, which makes them the olive for people who think they don't like olives. Put them out as they are with an aperitivo, or pair them with a hard cheese and a glass of something cold. They still have their pits, so keep a small bowl nearby.