Tapenade Dip

This dark and lusty sauce speaks to us with all the accents of Provence. It seems barely tamed by civilization and still full of secrets. Do we make too much of it? Try it for yourself and see. Stuff it into sun-ripened tomatoes, hard-cooked eggs, or grilled baby eggplants. Thin it slightly and offer it as a dip for crudités, or toss it with cold pasta. In the heat of summer its flavor seems only logical; in winter it stirs memories of summer warmth.