One of the symbols of Genoa and Liguria at the table is pesto, the world’s most famous cold sauce. Pesto epitomizes Liguria’s great culinary abilities – just a few high quality ingredients, perfectly balanced, make a simple sauce that enchants the palate. Ligurian cuisine is light and extroverted in its combinations. It brings out the best in Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil - famous across Italy for its delicate flavor, made from small black Tagiasche olives – and centers around vegetables, used in more elaborate dishes such as salty Pasqualina pies, pansotti, or capon magro, a masterpiece of fish, crustaceans, and seasonal vegetables. Liguria’s wines are noble and full-bodied. Schiachetrà, the strong dessert wine of the Cinque Terre, is made from extra-matured grapes, and accompanies Ligurian desserts like canestrelli butter cookies, and pandolce, Genoese sweetbread.