Picholine
Encyclopedia
The Picholine is a French
cultivar
of olive
s. It is the most widely available cultivar in France. Though originally from Gard
in southern France, it is today grown all over the world. The Picholine is best known as a cocktail
olive, though it is also used to make olive oil
.
in southern France
. Even though it is today most common in Provence
and other parts of France and Italy
, it is also grown in Morocco
, Israel
, Chile
, the United States
and other places around the world.
) or Lucques Batarde (bastard Lucques). In Tunisia is it called Judoleine, while in other countries it is often named Picholine de Languedoc after its historic region of origin (Gard is part of Languedoc).
, and medium size, and a crown of an open shape. The leaves
are elliptic-lanceolate, of a medium length and width. The olives are of medium weight (3–5 g), ovoid shape and slightly asymmetrical. stone is pointed at both ends, with a smooth surface and a mucro.
The fruit is harvested in October and November, while still green, for use as table olives. For the purpose of producing oil
, the olives are picked later, once they have turned green. The exact time of harvest for oil is a matter of judgement for the individual farmer; an early harvest gives a fruity taste, while a later harvest brings out more sweetness.
olive. For this purpose they are lye cured, then fermented in brine
for up to a year, giving them a slightly salty taste. It is also used for extraction of oil
, but gives only a medium yield. Normally 20–22% can be extracted, but plants under irrigation
sometimes produce as little as 15–18%. The taste of the oil is fruity with a hint of bitterness.
It is generally agreed that the cultivar is only partially self-fertile, so it can take advantage of a certain presence of pollinator
s. Among the olive cultivars used for pollination are the Bouteillan
, Leccino, Lucques
, Manzanilla and Sigoise.
It is vulnerable to certain organic pests, including Gloeosporium olivarum, Palpita unionalis and Liothrips oleae. It is also vulnerable to cold; while an adult tree can sustain temperatures down to −12 °C to −14 °C (+10 to 14 °F), young trees need much higher temperatures to survive. This can be a problem in the Gard and Provence regions, where winters can often be fierce.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s. It is the most widely available cultivar in France. Though originally from Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
in southern France, it is today grown all over the world. The Picholine is best known as a cocktail
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
olive, though it is also used to make olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
.
Extent
The Picholine olive is originally from the region of GardGard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Even though it is today most common in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and other parts of France and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, it is also grown in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and other places around the world.
Synonyms
The Picholine has many different names of local variety. In Gard and southern France it is referred to as Coiasse, Colliasse, Piquette, Plant de Collias, Fausse Lucques (false LucquesLucques
The Lucques is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Languedoc in France. It is primarily used as a green table olive. It can also produce high quality oil, but this is hard to extract...
) or Lucques Batarde (bastard Lucques). In Tunisia is it called Judoleine, while in other countries it is often named Picholine de Languedoc after its historic region of origin (Gard is part of Languedoc).
Characteristics
It is a cultivar of middle strength, with a spreading growth formPlant life-form
Plant life-form schemes constitute a way of classifying plants alternatively to the ordinary species-genus-family scientific classification. In colloquial speech, plants may be classified as trees, shrubs, herbs , etc...
, and medium size, and a crown of an open shape. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are elliptic-lanceolate, of a medium length and width. The olives are of medium weight (3–5 g), ovoid shape and slightly asymmetrical. stone is pointed at both ends, with a smooth surface and a mucro.
The fruit is harvested in October and November, while still green, for use as table olives. For the purpose of producing oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, the olives are picked later, once they have turned green. The exact time of harvest for oil is a matter of judgement for the individual farmer; an early harvest gives a fruity taste, while a later harvest brings out more sweetness.
Processing
The Picholine is most notable for its use as a cocktailCocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
olive. For this purpose they are lye cured, then fermented in brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
for up to a year, giving them a slightly salty taste. It is also used for extraction of oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, but gives only a medium yield. Normally 20–22% can be extracted, but plants under irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
sometimes produce as little as 15–18%. The taste of the oil is fruity with a hint of bitterness.
Agronomy
It is considered a cultivar of good, constant production. The tree is of medium size, and assumes a low, spread-out form when carrying fruit. It adopts well to different forms of soils and climates.It is generally agreed that the cultivar is only partially self-fertile, so it can take advantage of a certain presence of pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s. Among the olive cultivars used for pollination are the Bouteillan
Bouteillan
The Bouteillan is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Provence. Originally from the town of Aups in the Var département, it is today grown also in Australia and the United States. It is mostly used for the production of oil. The Bouteillan is vulnerable to certain pests, but has a good...
, Leccino, Lucques
Lucques
The Lucques is a cultivar of olives grown primarily in Languedoc in France. It is primarily used as a green table olive. It can also produce high quality oil, but this is hard to extract...
, Manzanilla and Sigoise.
It is vulnerable to certain organic pests, including Gloeosporium olivarum, Palpita unionalis and Liothrips oleae. It is also vulnerable to cold; while an adult tree can sustain temperatures down to −12 °C to −14 °C (+10 to 14 °F), young trees need much higher temperatures to survive. This can be a problem in the Gard and Provence regions, where winters can often be fierce.