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Olive Oil
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Butter

"Olive oil serves as butter and I was dreading that change. But today I taste some in sauces and without lying, nothing is better."
Writer Jean Racine to writer Jean de la Fontaine, 17th century

Olive Oil

In traditional Provençal cooking, olive oil took the place of butter. (For butter, you need cows, and Provence is goat-and-sheep country.) Olives are brought to a mill and pressed. Nowadays, more oil can be extracted by applying heat or using chemicals, but the best oil is "cold-pressed". And the same fruit can be pressed multiple times, but the best oil is the one extracted from the first pressing. That is the meaning of "first-cold pressed". Olive oil is said to be "extra-virgin" if it has been extracted by cold pressing and when its acidity is below one percent.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, First-Cold Pressed

Our olive oil is selected in the Provençal region of Nice. Its rich and fruity taste uplifts the products of the land. It will give a Provençal touch to just about any dish. We use it on everything from salads to roasted potatoes.

This oil has strong character and taste, so it is at its very best eaten raw. As a quick snack, we drizzle it on crackers with a dash of sea salt. In cooking, it is best to use a little bit at the beginning and to add the rest once you turn the heat off.

Although you can keep olive oil for a long long time, extra-virgin olive oil can start to lose its original flavor once the bottle is opened, and it is best consumed within three months. Keep in a cool place out of direct sunlight.