While on a visit to the Finger Lakes years ago, we discovered a California treasure – Graber olives. The buttery, mild taste and succulent texture of a Graber olive is addictive. We were intrigued – what made this olive so different from any other olive we had tasted before? Plump, nutty and fresh with little salt or acid, they don’t overwhelm your palate so they make a great appetizer and a perfect pair to some of the delicious white wines we were tasting.

The difference appears to be patience. Graber Olives are allowed to mature on the trees to a cherry-red color which denotes tree-ripeness. They are carefully hand-picked in order to ensure prime ripeness then cured in covered vats without being oxidized. After the curing process, the olives vary from an avocado green to a nut-like color. They are then canned to maintain their rich texture and unique flavor. They’ve been making olives in the same manner since 1894 – they must be doing something right!