André is an award-winning chef living on the central coast of California.

 
He created a unique black olive cracker, which won first prize at the Paso Robles Olive Festival in 2004. A certified Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation, André is an internationally trained chef with over 40 years of experience. His specialties include pastries,cooking, product development and he is an accomplished culinary instructor.  He is always looking for culinary challenges and to be on the avant garde of cooking! Everyyear at the Olive Festival in Paso Robles André saw a need to expandthe limited the presentation of olive products. fter developing theBlack Olive Cracker he decided to investigate olive jams.   Through many experimental attempts André achieved a perfect blend of sweet and bitterness. 

André successfully created both Black Olive and Green Olive Jams and offersthem at wholesale and retail at our downtown Paso Robles location offthe park.

The black olive jam –creation and birth
“La Pogne” is sweet bread which is behindthe creation of the black olive jam, invented by Chef André Averseng, Diningwith Andre, here in Paso Robles. In Provence, South of France, the olive isa very important industry. As a young woman, Andre’s Mother worked for thefarmers, harvesting fruit and vegetables. At Christmas time the farmers gavetheir employees a lot of seasonal produce as gifts. Among those gifts wererecently cured black olives to mark the end the olive harvest. When André’smom brought the olives home her Mom thought that the olives were too saltyand decided to remove the salt and the bitterness by cooking them in syrup,until they were candied. She used those olives in a brioche type bread andwith special spices, called “la Pogne’ and every year we ate this bread asa Christmas family tradition. Andre has recreated the blend of spices andolives of the “la Pogne” hand had created the beautiful black Olive Jam, “theblack gold of the central coast” 

THE CHALLENGE
To achieve a satisfying marriage of sweetness and olive’s inherent bitterness.

André created a special blend of spice that bridged the gap.

 BlackOlive Jam
Gourmet food.  Goes well with all meats, such as beef and pork.  

Canbe used as a topping with hamburgers and sandwiches. 
Black olive jamcan also be mixed with goat cheese and served on the side as a compliment toany cheese platter. 
Goes well with Syrah.
André is very flattered that his new concept is successful that it isnow being copied.

Green OliveJam
Ideal with fish and all white meats. 
Delicious as a chutney or used ina dessert with crepes as a lush sauce. 
Great for glazing pork filletsor to enhance the flavor of side dishes. 
Goes great with Pinot Noir.