"At the family-run olive orchard and cold-pressing factory operated by Paolo and Franco Roi, visitors learn that true extra-virgin olive oil is never heated but pressed like a cold-pressed juice and should present a balanced trio of flavors—fruity, peppery (spicy), and bitter—with a lingering spicy/oily sensation in the mouth. The producers demonstrate tasting criteria for quality oil and show how this vibrant oil is central to Ligurian cooking, from slathering focaccia to contribute fruity flavor, good crumb, and a crunchy crust, to forming the oily backbone of classic pesto alongside pine nuts and Parmesan." - Chris Fuhrmeister