nina – I’ll be posting an announcement with more info sometime in the next few days. Just check back and it will be up soon. And please do enter! Wow, brining your own olives, that sounds amazing.

I love the little servings of soup and the olive cookies look divine. I brined my own olives last year and have plenty to use for this recipe.

Bron – Let me know how you like them! And oh, I’m jealous of your warmth all winter here.

brilynn – Jeffrey Steingarten says that you can get over nearly any food aversion just by trying that food 8-10 times. I should force myself to do that with all my other hated foods.

Sophie – Thanks, let me know how you like it!

mr.ed – Strawberry rhubarb sure is tasty, too. And that’s so sweet of Liz! I’m really thrilled that she’ll be singing for us.

mimi – Thanks! We served it chilled. I edited the post to make that clearer.

Anticiplat, Niall, andreea, Chocolate Shavings – Thanks!

Gabi – Thank you so much! Please let me know how it goes when you try it. Picholine are good, too? I guess I’ll be brave and try those next, on your recommendation!

I will definitely be trying your amuse-bouche!

It’s funny I’ve had lots of friends including my hubbie who didn’t like olives when I met them but I kept presenting good ones like nicoise or picholine and sooner or later they became converts. Good for you for keeping an open minded palate.