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Episode 4

Marcus wants to understand Provence’s passion for olives, from oil, desserts and even an olive breaking competition.

In Provence, you don't have to walk far or turn too many corners before you find yourself surrounded by local produce. But there's one particular fruit that is synonymous with the region: the mighty olive. They’ve been grown here for over three and a half thousand years, and Marcus wants to understand Provence’s passion for them.

He discovers the secrets of their most famous by-product: olive oil, visiting a local olive farm and helping them test if the olives are ready to be harvested. After, he meets a chef in Saint Remy who’s doing something rather unusual with olives and olive oil: a dessert. Marcus is unconvinced, but the olive mille-feuille turns out to be delicious. Marcus keeps things simply by grilling cod and serving it with a tomato and olive sauce. It's just the fuel he needs to prepare for the 51st annual olive breaking competition.

4 months left to watch

28 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Marcus Wareing
Series Producer Bridget Gregory
Director Duncan Thompson
Executive Producer Karen Plumb
Production Manager Rebecca Viale
Production Company Plimsoll Productions

Broadcast