The Black Pearl of Nyons

On Tanche Olives

I adore olives. They are a staple in my pantry, in all their delectable varieties: thick, green olives marinated in herbs and lots of fresh garlic; tiny, mahogany olives that go beautifully well with an ice-cold Lillet as soon as the first warm summer day makes its appearance; olives filled with almonds; fresh olives from the market or in a jar from my favorite deli.

To me, the best way to eat olives is with pre-dinner drinks, but they are also an essential ingredient in many classic French recipes. What would the famous salade niçoise or a pissaladière be without olives? I use olives in robust tapenades that taste divine on crisp toast. I add them to bread recipes (such as fougasse), and they’re also delightful in savory bakes. Ever tried olive cookies? Easy to make and gorgeous with a cheese board.

There are many different kinds of olives, but in my opinion, the best come from Nyons.

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First, let’s talk history, starting with the fact that olives are one of the oldest fruits in the world. These nutritious flavor bombs were already enjoyed some 6,000 years ago in Palestine and highly valued for their precious golden oil. The cultivation of olive trees spread to other countries around the Mediterranean, and olives, together with grain and grapes, were among the most important foods (what archaeologists call the ‘Mediterranean Triad’) of this population. The ancient Greeks introduced olive cultivation to France (Marseille) around 600 BC, and today there are approximately two hundred varieties of French olives, including the shiny Tanches (also known as ‘la perle noire’, the ‘black pearl’) from Nyons, the breathtakingly beautiful heart of Drôme Provençale, a region characterized by olive trees with serpentine trunks and silver-green leaves, as well as mountains, vineyards and vast fields of fragrant lavender. (You can safely say that I’ve fallen in love with this area again after this week.)

The dry Mediterranean climate of Drôme, which boasts more than 2,700 hours of sun per year, and the rich soil, form the perfect conditions for the cultivation of the olives. Together with truffles and nougat, Tanche olives are one of the three stars of ‘la gastronomie Drômoise’. 

Tanche olives were the first French olives to be granted A.O.C. (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) certification in 1994. The appellation stretches out over one thousand hectares and fifty-three municipalities and counts approximately 220,000 trees that account for an annual production of more than four hundred tons of table olives and two hundred tons of oil.

The harvesting of Tanche olives is a labor-intensive task carried out either by hand or with the use of rakes. Tanche olives are picked from November through January when they are slightly overripe. By that time, their skins are somewhat wrinkled as a result of the cooler temperatures. Once picked, they are sorted by size: the larger ones (+14-18mm) are prepared as table olives, and the smaller ones (-14mm) are pressed for their oil.

There are two methods for preparing table olives: brine-curing (‘saumurée’) and dry-saltcuring (‘piquée’). Most of the olives are brine-cured, meaning they are immersed in a solution of water and ten percent sea salt for anywhere from four to six months. After that, the olives lose all traces of bitterness. They are usually sold in jars or made into tapenade. Only a small part of the olives are dry-salt cured. They are placed in wooden boxes, pricked and generously salted. Approximately two or three days later, the olives excrete any bitterness and are ready for consumption. Just a few days thereafter, locals and lucky tourists are invited to taste them during the annual Fête de l'Olive Piquée. The first olives are enjoyed, and there is also a market with other regional delicacies.

The flavor of fleshy Tanche olives is reminiscent of figs and hazelnuts and has the slightest hint of dark chocolate. Whole, cured olives can be served with a glass of Pastis as an apéro or chopped and added to a savory cake. Their velvety smooth oil has a characteristic aroma of crisp, green apples and freshly cut grass. It is especially delicious in dressings and drizzled over grilled sun-ripe Mediterranean vegetables or roasted fish. 

I have been having my share of Nyons olives these days, and when I visited their hometown a few days ago, I picked up some delicious goodies: cookies for the apéritif, tapenade and, of course, olive oil. PS: I will be sharing a recipe with paid subscribers next week, so look out for it in your mailbox!

It’s worth looking out for these tasty French olives. One bite and you may just fall for them like I did.