The best way to start a meal is by breaking off a slab of crusty bread and dipping it into a bowl of good quality olive oil. So imagine my excitement with a present from Filippo Berio, one of Italy’s most respected olive oil brands, arrived on my desk.

Just 250 bottles of the ‘Founder’s Favourite’ Olio di Lucca have been produced globally. The oil has been created using handpicked, specially selected Moraiolo, Leccino and Frantoio olives from Tenuta Maria Teresa in the hills above Lucca, home of Filippo Berio.

The first thought that ran through my head was that it will be perfect for Christmas dinner when my mum and step dad come to visit. It will no doubt be a lovely surprise by the fellow olive oil loving foodies.

Available online from www.filippoberio.co.uk and www.justsoitalian.co.uk, each limited edition 500ml bottle (RRP£100) is individually numbered and presented in a distinctive glass bottle with an ornate pendant showing the founder’s image and a gift box bearing his signature.