Olives & first-pressed olive oil

Sacred tree of the Mediterranean, the olive tree is, in myth, Athena's gift to the city of Athens. Its oil has anointed kings, lit temples and nourished the peoples around the Mediterranean since Antiquity. The olive branch remains the universal symbol of peace.

Cold-pressed, first-press olive oil is one of the most precious fats. It provides oleic acid (omega-9), vitamin E, and above all polyphenols — including oleocanthal, the compound that gently stings the throat and whose protective action has been likened to that of low-dose ibuprofen (Beauchamp, 2005).

That little burn at the back of the mouth is a good sign: it signals an oil rich in polyphenols, alive, low in acidity. Raw and fresh, drizzled on, it nourishes the membranes, the brain and the heart.

We choose it first cold-pressed, fruity and slightly peppery, and add it raw, drizzled over the finished dish — never for frying. Over a salad, a velouté, steamed vegetables, it wakes everything up.