Green gems

Bella di Cerignola olives

For olive lovers, a bella di Cerignola is a thing of great beauty indeed. Natives of southeastern Italy, these crisp, delicate bright-green fruits bring unparalleled flavor to our shores. They go well with goat cheese and make an excellent martini olive, but we still prefer them da solo, as the quintessential healthy snack food. Formaggio Kitchen, at 244 Huron Avenue, in Cambridge, sells them (along with 29 other kinds of olives) for $6.95 a pound. Call 354-4750.

-- Elizabeth Manus