Food And Curiosities
Florentine beef steak
a classic Tuscan and Florentine dish, the Florentine beef steak is obtained from the loin of young beef from the Chiana or Maremma areas. It must have a T-bone in its centre surrounded by tenderloin and sirloin. The Florentine beef steak must have a thickness of around 3 cm, it should be allowed to ripen for a few days under cool conditions. It must be cooked on the grill without seasoning. It should be cooked for 4-5 minutes on each side, adding a pinch of salt on the cooked side. The cooking method is what distinguishes the genuine Florentine beef steak, which should be coloured on the outside and soft and succulent on the inside.
Ribollita
is a typical Tuscan dish that takes a long time to prepare. It derives its name from the fact that it used to be prepared in abundant quantities and therefore the left-overs were "re-boiled" and eaten the following day. It is a very tasty dish and, given the long preparation time, is often produced in large quantities and eaten on several occasions.
Florentine "Schiacciata" (flat cake)
in Florence, tradition and taste come together in this soft and exquisite sweet which is suitable for all occasions, from breakfast to afternoon tea, or for an informal after dinner gathering with friends. It is an extremely light and healthy cake: just one egg, no butter and just a little good-quality olive oil.
Panforte of Siena
The "Panforte", a sweet made from flour, almonds, dried fruit, candied fruit and spices, is the gastronomic symbol of Siena. It is the best known among spiced breads and has ancient origins that go back to the times of the honeyed bread eaten during the Middle Ages.
Ingredients And Typical Products
OLIVE OIL
... Naturally, always and only extra-virgin olive oil. Tuscans do not allow alternative oil in their kitchens to that produced in Tuscany.
BREAD
Tuscan bread is "sciocco" (pronounced shock-oh), which means unsalted. In the Divine Comedy, Dante, who had been exiled from Florence, writes "...Thou shalt prove, How salt the savour is of other's bread...".
Unsalted bread is a good match for any dish. According to tradition good bread must be cooked in a wood fire.
BEANS
Beans for Tuscans usually means Cannellini beans, which are also called "white Florentine beans".
They are boiled in many recipes: to boil them you need to put them in an abundant amount of water with a few whole cloves of garlic, sage leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper. If using dried beans they need to be boiled at a very low temperature for around 2 hours, if using fresh beans they need to be boiled for much less time, and then left to cool down in their gravy.
BLACK CABBAGE
Black cabbage, also known as "a punta" or "cavolella", is a vegetable that resists the cold all winter.
In Tuscany it is very common and is often used in cooking, unlike other regions in Italy where it is practically unknown.
NEPITELLA
A herbaceous plant of the same family as mint; it grows spontaneously in fields. It is used in place of oregano, mainly for cooking mushrooms, and so it is often called "mushroom grass".
LAMPREY
This is the dark part of tripe. The name derives from lamprey eel due to the similarity between the mouth of the fish and the shape of lamprey. It is used to prepare soups and risottos.
Florentines love lamprey: in Florence it is eaten plain in a typical Tuscan bun known as "semelle". At lunch times in the city it is common to see workers, artisans and businessmen around a tripe stall... Offal for Florentines has always been considered good food...an appetising dish...even if it belonged exclusively to popular eating places. Offal is cooked in a great variety of ways. Even today, Florentine-style tripe and lamprey are not just found in typical trattorias, but all throughout the city.
TUSCAN RAW HAM
It is a rustic-looking ham, with an ancient history. Its flavour is very pleasant, decisive, aromatic but not excessively salty. Its rich taste derives from salting and maturing, whose secrets have been handed down over the generations. From the maturing process, which lasts at least a year, we get the fragrant and characteristic aroma. Tuscan raw ham is often used for starters and for afternoon snacks, thanks to its flavour and its fragrance that can be enjoyed in its entirety, including the aromatic fat.
TUSCAN PECORINO
Tuscan Pecorino cheese is made from whole ewe's milk with added leaven and veal's rennet. It can be eaten with meals or grated according to its maturity. Whether mature or fresh, it goes well with honey, jam, fruit and fresh vegetables. If fresh, it goes well with white; when mature, red wines.
TUSCAN SALAMI
Characterised by its strong and very aromatic flavour, and for its appearance, with the crudely chopped fat. A smaller version is available, called "cacciatorino".
COLONNATA LARD
Lard is what has made Colonnata famous all over the world: it used to be eaten by quarrymen, that sliced it thinly and put it inside rustic bread buns with a few pieces of tomato; it was prepared early in the morning and, together with the flask of wine, was useful in providing the necessary calories for taking on the steep slopes and the hard work of quarrying. Colonnata lard owes its exceptional flavour to the maturing process that takes place in a typical marble bowl.
TUSCAN WINES
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO (DOCG)
Produced in Montalcino.
Ruby red colour; intense aroma; dry taste, warm; alcoholic content 12.5%.
CHIANTI (DOCG)
Produced in the provinces of Arezzo, Pisa, Florence, Prato, Pistoia.
Intense ruby red colour; intense vinous aroma; dry and decisive taste; alcoholic content 11.5%.
CHIANTI CLASSICO (DOCG)
Produced in Florence and Siena.
Bright ruby red colour which tends towards garnet; vinous aroma; dry, harmonic flavouur; alcoholic content 12%.
COLLI DELL'ETRURIA CENTRALE (DOC)
Produced in Pisa, Arezzo, Pistoia, Firenze, Siena.
White: straw colour with green highlights; delicate aroma; fresh, harmonic flavour; alcoholic content 10%.
Red: lively ruby red colour; fresh, delicate aroma; lively, harmonic flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
Rosé: pink colour; fresh, fruity aroma; fresh, lively flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
New wine: red-purple colour; fruity aroma; fresh, lively flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
Vin Santo occhio di pernice: pink colour; intense aroma; sweet taste; alcoholic content 16.5%.
COLLI DELLA TOSCANA (IGT)
Produced in Arezzo, Pistoia, Firenze, Prato, Siena.
Red: alcoholic content 10.5%.
New red: alcoholic content 11%.
Rosé: alcoholic content 10.5%.
White: alcoholic content 9.5%.
Sparkling white: alcoholic content 10%.
ALTA VALLE DELLA GREVE (IGT)
Produced in the area surrounding Florence.
Alta Valle della Greve features the following wines: white, alcoholic content 10%; red 10.5%; rosé 10%; new wine 11%.
ANSONICA COSTA DELL'ARGENTARIO (DOC)
Produced in Capalbio, Orbetello, Manciano, Isola del Giglio, Monte Argentario.
It has a pale yellow colour; fruity aroma; dry taste; alcoholic content 11.5%.
BARCO REALE DI CARMIGNANO (DOC)
Produced in Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano.
It has a lively red colour; fruity aroma; dry, fresh taste; alcoholic content 11%.
Rosato di Carmignano: pink colour; intense fruity aroma; sharp dry taste; alcoholic content 11%.
Vin Santo di Carmignano: gold or straw colour; intense aroma; smooth flavour; alcoholic content 16%.
Vin Santo di Carmignano Occhio di Pernice: pale pink or intense pink colour; intense aroma; smooth, sweet flavour; alcoholic content 16%.
BIANCO DELLA VALDINIEVOLE (DOC)
Produced in Uzzano, Baggiano, Pescia, Cozzale, Pieve a Fievole, Larciano, Marliana, Monsummano Terme, Massa, Montecatini Terme.
White: light golden yellow colour; pleasant aroma; lively dry flavour; alcoholic content 11%.
Vin Santo: straw colour; typical intense aroma; smooth flavour with bitter aftertaste; alcoholic content 17%.
BIANCO DI PITIGLIANO (DOC)
Produced in Pitigliano, Sorano and Scansano.
White: straw colour; delicate aroma; dry, slightly bitter flavour; alcoholic content 11.5%.
Spumante: straw colour; delicate aroma; sharp, dry flavour; alcoholic content 11.5%.
BIANCO PISANO DI S. TORPE' (DOC)
Produced in Livorno and Pisa.
White: straw colour; vinous aroma; dry, delicate flavour; alcoholic content 11%.
Vin Santo: amber-gold colour; aromatic odour; smooth flavour; alcoholic content 16%.
BOLGHERI (DOC)
Produced in Castagneto Carducci.
White: straw colour; delicate aroma; dry flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
Fermentino: straw colour; delicate aroma; dry flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
Sauvignon: straw colour; delicate aroma; dry, aromatic flavour; alcoholic content 10.5%.
Red: red colour; vinous aroma; dry flavour; alcoholic content 11.5%.
Rosé: pink colour; delicate vinous aroma; dry flavour; alcoholic content 11.5%.
Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice: intense or pale pink colour; intense aroma; smooth, sweet flavour; alcoholic content 16%.