Jane, the resident Cheese Buyer, and knower of all things fromage, is also the “Selector” of everything you see and choose from in our Olive Bar, on the other side of the Deli’s “Cheese Island” – extremely popular this time of year, with cookouts, Shakespeare Festival, outdoor food fights, etc.

Yes, Olives are the most popular items selected (that’s why we call it the “Olive” Bar), but there are many more items for sale that are unique and savory – things you may have read about in cookbooks or cooking magazines, but were unsure of what precisely they were nor where to get them.

This just in: We have them at the Deli!

Here are a few examples of what to find in the Deli “Olive” Bar – prices vary, but start at around $6.99 per pound…

Cornichons – Wonder why it’s not just a pickle? It’s because what we know as a pickle comes from a cucumber- and cornichons are pickled gherkins! Cucumbers and gherkins come from the same species, but are different cultivar groups. These little beauties look good on a relish tray, of course, and provide a good “snap” to many sharp cheeses as a palate cleanser.

Dolmas – Quite likely the most popular “non-olive” in the olive bar, Dolmas, also known as Sarma, have been a part of the cuisine of Turkey, Greece, Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries for centuries. Cabbage leaves can be used, but the most common wrapper you will find is grape leaves. Tomato, meats, peppers- many ingredients can be used as a stuffing- the ones we sell contain a rice mixture. You can buy just one, if you want to, to try it (they are priced at $6.99 per pound) and are most often enjoyed cold, as a nice little hor’s doerve, or part of a side salad. Packed in olive oil, they are quite refreshing and a green salad alternative.

Cipolline Onions – About the size of ping-pong balls, but with a flatter top – these have a higher residual sugar than most garden variety onions which is what helps them bake up so nicely within a grand assortment of dishes, such as roast chicken (my favorite) other game birds, or a simple clay cooker full of vegetables. Very aromatic, and delicious, pickled through, and ready to go.

Pappadews – These peppers were discovered in the South African province of Limpopo and brought here in 1993-becoming instantly popular and oh, so versatile. Handy for stuffing with soft cheeses, then broiling, or skewering on a kebab, topping a grilled burger, or adding a bit of “zip” to a salad. Bright as a cherry tomato, and just as pretty.

Tapenade – The word itself comes from a Provencal derivative of the Caper plant, and the flower buds used to make this savory, versatile “paste” the primary ingredient these days are olives, but the capers shine through with their distinguishing flavor. Throw in a little chopped pepper, and an olive oil base, and you have a spread that can be baked on fish, white meats, spread on cheeses, crusty breads (think Shakespeare Festival)- all of the above!

-Todd Giesler