Tuscan Olive Oil at VerdeOro, Rosignano Marittimo

Olive oil samples at VerdeOro, Rosignano MarittimoIngredients for a perfect Sunday afternoon:  bright sunshine, a medieval Tuscan village, abundant samples of new Tuscan olive oil and corpulent local wine, and a brilliant street orchestra!

What more could you want? The annual event dedicated to the new Olive Oil in Rosignano Marittimo -  just 32km south of Livorno, perched on high overlooking the coast and the sea below - is called VerdeOro, or ‘green gold’. It offered all these ingredients and turned out to be a really enjoyable occasion for adults and children alike.

The Fantomatic OrchestraThe children loved the endless supply of bite-sized pieces of bread soaked in delicious pungent olive oil made by local producers. The grown-ups liked it too, especially combined with generous samples of local wine. The village was buzzing with people, but not too crowded, and the 14-piece roaming Fantomatik Orchestra created a fabulous party atmosphere with their jazzy renditions of old favourites and some of their own foot-tapping compositions.

The sun went down over the sea and turned the hills a pretty pink. What a great location for a well-organised and very enjoyable event where the Province of Livorno once again proved its excellence in the field of food and wine.