Tapenade is a condiment that’s made with olives and capers and is usually used as a spread on crusty bread. Tapenade can also be added to pasta dishes, added to sandwiches, and as a side dish to many meat dishes. The combination of olives, capers, olive oil, and anchovies makes for the perfect combination of savory, salty, and umami that makes tapenade enhance the flavor of whatever food it was paired with.
Tapenade Trivia
- Tapenade was said to have been invented in 1880 in Marseille, France at the world-famous La Maison Dorée restaurant.
- Tapenade comes in two colors, green and black. The color is determined by the color of the olives used.
- Tapenade is a Provencal recipe that focuses on preserving the original taste and texture of the ingredients, so if you like olives and capers then you’ll love tapenade.
- Tapenade comes from the term tápeno, which is the Provencal term for, you guessed it, olives.
Tapenade Buying Guide
Tapenade is not something that is commonly available on supermarket shelves. Most tapenade that can be found in supermarkets is imported from other countries that are producing tapenade as a commercial condiment.
This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a market for tapenade in the United States. One of the main reasons why there isn’t much of a large-scale tapenade production in the United States is that tapenade is very simple to make and the ingredients are easily available from anywhere.
Tapenade Production & Farming in Texas
In Texas, where there is a decent number of olive groves and olive oil producers, it’s much easier to find freshly made tapenade. Farmers’ markets that are in close proximity to olive groves will usually have a local producer that makes freshly made tapenade. Aside from that, local olive oil producers usually have tapenade for sale if you do visit their groves. Local cheese stores, delis, and specialty stores will also have some locally made tapenade in stock.
Pesticides, Additives, and Chemicals:
Due to the saltiness of the capers and anchovies in traditional tapenade, it usually doesn’t need any preservatives to be able to survive a decent period on store shelves.
Packaging:
Tapenade is packed in glass jars to prevent flavor contamination of the condiment.
Enjoying Tapenade
Enjoying tapenade is quite straightforward. Smear some on a piece of crusty bread or use it as a topping on your favorite meat dishes and you’re good to go. Just be careful not to put too much as it can become quite salty.
Storage:
To store tapenade once opened from its jar (or if homemade), keep it in a tightly sealed container and it should last in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Make your own Texas-Style Tapenade:
We did mention that one of the reasons why tapenade isn’t very common on store shelves is that it’s pretty simple to make. We’re sharing one of the tapenade recipes that we frequently use, and it’s just not any tapenade, it’s Tapenade with a Texas twist to it. It contains a lot more ingredients than your traditional tapenade, but trust us, you won’t regret making it.
Ingredients:
Black Olives, 6 ounces
Rinsed Anchovy filets, 2 pieces
Minced Garlic Clove, 1 piece
Rinsed capers, 2 tablespoons
Lime Juice, 1 tablespoon
Fresh Cilantro, 2 tablespoons
Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons
Diced Jalapeno Peppers, 1 tablespoon
Step 1:
Blitz in a food processor until a thick puree is made. This takes about a minute or two.
Step 2:
Serve and enjoy!
