Grossane olive, jewel of the Vallée des Baux!
Living in the Baux-de-Provence valley means living to the rhythm of the seasons and the ripening of the region's black gold: the olive.
November: Grossane harvesting time
Every year, in November, the harvest of the Grossane, the emblematic black olive of the valley, begins. This harvest alone tells the story of the richness of the land and the history of Provençal traditions. The Grossane olive is harvested at the end of the year, slightly “wrinkled,” ripe, after having passed from tender green to yellow, then from purple to black, thanks to the weather and the Provençal sun. The Mediterranean climate of the Baux valley promotes natural ripening, allowing the olives to arrive black on the branches, ready to be processed. Although recognized as a table olive, Grossane forms the basis of our tapenade and Gran'Draille recipes at Jean Martin. Specialists describe its unique aromas: truffle, porcini mushrooms, sourdough bread, gingerbread, red wine, sometimes with a slight characteristic bitterness.
From tree to confectionary: the magic of transformation
As soon as they are picked, the olives go to the Jean Martin confectionary, where they are preserved in brine – in water and salt – for a whole year. The traditional preparation, simply pricked and salted, preserves all the natural and aromatic characteristics of the olive. “We dose the salt according to the olive, which is more or less waterlogged depending on the year. Once stored, it then takes a year before they can be consumed. At Jean Martin, they are put into a refiner: the pulp settles on the sides, the pits fall out… and that's Gran'Draille, pure Grossane olive puree. This paste can then be enhanced to create black tapenade, aubergine caviar, pissaladière preparation, or even tomato sauce with olives,” explains the team (to find out more, see the article).
Respecting seasons and traditions
Respecting the seasons, loving one's land, knowing how to cultivate traditions… these are the simple values that have guided Jean Martin for 100 years now, and which give Grossane all its richness and authenticity.
