Taste Test

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The cooking season transitions into high gear this month, and no staple is more important to have in your pantry than quality olive oil and vinegar. Rather than hopping a plane to Tuscany, a trip to Bar Harbor or Rockland will do the trick. Fiore (8 Rodick Place, Bar Harbor, 207-809-9710 and 503 Main Street, Rockland, 207-596-0276, www.fioreoliveoils.com), started by Pat and Nancy O’Brien, is a cook’s heaven. Instead of wine, these tasting rooms showcase a huge variety of olive oils and vinegars imported from all over the world. Stored in large steel containers, customers can taste all the products — from extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegars to roasted walnut oil and dark chocolate balsamic vinegar — and then fill a bottle on the spot. It’s a perfect place to stock up on gifts since you get to sample each and every one!