Laudemio is the very best part of the harvest, and in the Middle Ages it was reserved for the Lord's table. This is the Grand Cru of extra virgin olive oil. The olives were harvested in the old Frantoio di Santa Téa groves that surround one of the oldest mills in Italy. The emerald green oil was pressed from these Tuscan fruits within ten hours of picking. High in antioxidants and polyphenols (micronutrients thought to have all kinds of health benefits), this fragrant oil displays beautiful notes of freshlycut grass, green olive, tomato vine, nuts, artichoke and peppery spice. Drizzle it over risotto, roasted pumpkin, fresh egg pasta, Jersey Royals, artichokes, salads and bruschetta, or simply dip freshly baked bread into it. In 1585, the Gonnelli family bought the Santa Téa farm for 300 coins fromthe local monks. The farm's mill was built in 1426, so already had a long history of oil making at this stage. There, surrounded by protected forests and nature reserves on the sun-baked plains of Reggello near Florence, the Gonnellis have passed their expertise down through the family, preserving and refining the fine art of olive oil making.