Olive oil is the foundation of Messinian gastronomy. Cooked or raw, it is always present on the family table, as well as in taverns and restaurants. In almost all cases, olive oil is produced by the family, or by the business owner. Dining enterprises are of vital importance for the tourist economy of the area. They are the ambassadors of local agricultural production, in the sense that traditional taverns and restaurants are the point where visitors and local products meet.

Regarding olive oil, the main agricultural product in Messinia, there are two main issues that have been linked to its quality: its presentation on the table, and its storage. A transparent multipurpose bottle on the table is a very common sight. The olive oil offered does not correspond with the quality that our area deserves, mainly as a result of bad storage.

Moreover, another aspect that emerges from the flavor characteristics of olive oil, and is of interest to the professionals in the field, is the pairing of different olive oils with different foods.

This program is aimed at traditional restaurant and tavern owners and cooks in the area of Messinia, with the purpose of presenting olive oil quality to them through three viewpoints:

• the recognition of the flavor characteristics of quality olive oil,
• the proper way to store it and present it on the table, and
• the basic principles of pairing it with different foods.

This initiative took place in the form of two-day seminars lasting 10 hours, with a maximum of 10 participants from three agritourism destinations in Messinia, more specifically Kalamata, Kardamili, and Pylos.