Our PDO cracked olives: from the olive tree to the tasting table

Every year, at the end of summer, the olive groves of the Alpilles come to life with a new harvest. For us, it marks the return of a tradition we await with impatience: the cracked olives of the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence.

Green, firm, and delicately scented with fennel, these PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) olives are deeply rooted in our local terroir. Their preparation requires time, precision, and above all, great care.

And because they are fresh, delicate, and kept refrigerated, they do not travel well: Jean Martin cracked olives are available exclusively at our Jean Martin boutique in Maussane-les-Alpilles, as well as at select retailers in the region.

But before reaching our counter, they go through several stages.

1. The harvest: when the olives are still green

Everything begins in the olive groves of the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence.

For the PDO, cracked olives are made from varieties suited to this preparation, notably the Salonenque and Aglandau. They are harvested while still green and at the peak of maturity.

Timing is everything: cracked olives are an early-season product, available for a limited time each year.

That is part of their charm: you must wait for the harvest to enjoy them again.

2. Sorting: selecting the finest olives

After the harvest, the olives are sorted and graded.

This step makes it possible to set aside fruits that do not meet the PDO requirements and to work with consistent batches.

There is no rushing the process: to obtain a high-quality cracked olive, every step counts.

3. Cracking: the technique that gives the olive its name

This is the iconic stage of the preparation.

The fresh, whole olives are cracked to slightly burst their flesh without removing the pit.

This traditional method was long done by hand. Today it is mechanized, but it remains at the heart of the identity of this Provençal specialty.

The cracking then allows the various preparation steps to act on the olive flesh, in other words, to accelerate the debittering process and the infusion of wild fennel.

4. Debittering: naturally evolving the flavor

Freshly cracked, the olive is still very bitter.

It therefore undergoes a debittering phase, during which it is macerated and then rinsed with water. The water is refreshed regularly to progressively reduce its bitterness.

This step requires time and monitoring: the goal is to preserve the olive's character while achieving a balanced bitterness.

5. Brining: the preparation continues

The olives are then placed in brine, where they continue to develop.

They remain there for as long as necessary to stabilize before being prepared for sale.

Then comes one of the ingredients that makes them truly unique…

6. Fennel: the signature of the Alpilles

There is no cracked olive from the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence without fennel.

The olives are prepared with wild fennel, traditionally found in the valley's landscapes. Fennel sprigs are added to the preparation, delicately scenting the olives.

It is this combination that gives cracked olives their unmistakable aroma: a green olive, firm and fruity on the palate, highlighted by the fresh, aniseed notes of wild fennel.

7. Kept chilled… and very limited availability

Cracked olives are an early-season and fragile product. After preparation, they must be kept in refrigerated storage.

This is also why we have chosen to offer them only at our boutique in Maussane-les-Alpilles.

Why no shipping?

Cracked olives are particularly sensitive and require refrigerated storage. Therefore, they are not available for online sale and cannot be shipped.

If you are in the Alpilles, it is the perfect opportunity to discover them on-site, in the heart of their terroir.

How to enjoy cracked olives?

As an appetizer, simply accompanied by a piece of bread, on a platter of Provençal products, or snacked on throughout a meal…

Cracked olives are best enjoyed simply, to savor their firm flesh and their fennel aroma.

And their flavor doesn't stop at just eating them plain: we use this same technique of preparing local olives infused with fennel in some of our recipes, notably our Green Tapenade and our Anchoïade.

A tradition that returns every year

Cracked olives are among those products that truly tell the story of Provence. They follow the rhythm of the seasons, from the olive harvest to their preparation, right up to their arrival on our counter.

So, if you are passing through Maussane-les-Alpilles starting in mid-September, come discover them at the Jean Martin boutique. And above all, don't wait too long: cracked olives are here for just a few weeks!

📍 Jean Martin de Provence – 9 rue Charloun Rieu, Maussane-les-Alpilles

Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM / 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

 

Cracked olives from the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence have held PDO status since 1999. Discover all the steps in this video: