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Green olives are one of my very favorite foods. Salty, fruity, briny, nutty, and buttery, their complexity adds depth to almost any dish, and they pair beautifully with a number of foods, notably cheese. In my humble opinion, no cheese plate is complete without a big bowl of green olives. They offer a zippy reprieve from all the richness a good snack board has to offer.
While strolling around my local Trader Joe’s, I spotted a new flatbread cracker on the shelves that I knew I had to try: Green Olive Flats Italian Lingue Crackers ($2.99). These crisp crackers dotted with tiny green olive bits will add instant sophistication to your summer snack boards. They get their name (lingue) from their tongue-like shape, and are often served as an alternative to bread.
Why I Love Trader Joe’s Green Olive Flats
The TJ’s version is produced by a supplier in Italy, so they have an authentic look, texture, and flavor. They are sturdy enough to be piled high with various toppings but thin and crisp enough to enjoy while snacking one-handed—the true test of any cracker I use on a cheese board!
The first time I purchased these, I added them to a cheese board for a dinner party I was hosting. I put the board together first, then went about the rest of the prep work I had to do for the main course. Occasionally, I’d steal one of these tasty little crackers to fuel my mise en place. When the guests arrived, I realized I had mindlessly eaten almost every last cracker I’d set out. They are that good!
Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / Trader Joe’s
How I Use Trader Joe’s Green Olive Flats
To take the snacking potential of these crackers even further, I strongly urge you to try one of my favorite combinations. Trader Joe’s also recently launched a Burrata Filling “Stracciatella” cheese, available for a limited time this summer. It’s creamy and spreadable, so I add a thin layer to one of these green olive flats, then fold a slice of prosciutto on top to fulfill all my Italian snacking dreams!
If you are hesitant to pick these up because you don’t enjoy the flavor of olives, I encourage you to give them a shot. The flavor is mild and reminiscent of a really good olive oil cracker, and while I can appreciate the subtle brininess the green olives provide, they do not overwhelm the cracker.
