These small olives come from one of the biggest olive trees, the cailletier, the most common species in the Alpes Maritimes region around Nice. Harvested when ripe, the olives, also known as cailletiers, are soaked for five to six months in water and sea salt in an all-natural debittering process. These purple-black pearls are an essential ingredient of salades Niçoises, pissaladières, and other regional favorites. These black olives are harvested when ripe and dry-cured. After the aging process that removes their natural bitterness is complete, they are mixed with olive oil and tossed with Provence herbs for the perfect apéritif olive: fruity, salty, and aromatic, all at once.