There are many varieties of Mediterranean olives, each in various shades of green, violet, or black, depending on their stage of ripeness. After picking, olives are altered by different methods of curing and then preserved in oil, vinegar, or salt brine or simply dried. Each type has its special taste, texture, and degree of oiliness.

For this dish I’d ordinarily recommend a Greek or Spanish olive, but lately I’ve been pleasantly surprised by two California home-style cured olive brands, Graber and Lindsay. I’ve found their products top-notch, especially when baked in a clay pot, which in my view, of course, makes almost anything taste better. Rinse these domestic tree-ripened olives, then cook them in a clay pot with garlic, aromatics, and white wine, and you’ll be surprised at how luscious they can be. If you decide to go with imported olives, I suggest the Spanish Farga Aragon, Italian Gaeta, or Greek Amphissa.