Legends abound about the invention of this iconic cocktail, most agree on the following: sometime around the turn of the century (early 1900s) Count Negroni asked a now forgotten bartender to supercharge the then fashionable “Americano” cocktail, swapping out soda for gin. The resulting cocktail equal parts gin, vermouth and read more
This is a whole category of cured meat from the thick hand-sliced Tuscan prosciutto, more salty and flavorful than the “Sweet” Parma prosciutto to the classic Finocchiona or Sbriciolone a thick cylinder of soft ground pork meat flavored with fennel seeds.
Typical Florentine Lenten Cake. Going against anything you might think, Schiacciata alla Fiorentine (Florentine Schiacciata) is a dessert which originated in Chianti. Once these flat cakes were made similar to Colomba or Panettone and flavored with syrup, orange or mint to be sold during the Easter period; but today the read more
It’s hard to believe coccoli con crudo haven’t travelled outside Tuscany – yet! The near universal appeal is easy to understand, as is the endearing name, “cuddles;” puffed pillows of fried pizza dough, eaten plain as a traditional street food, or better, torn open and stuffed with cool, creamy and read more
Crostini aren’t unique to Tuscany, but they are certainly prevalent, and play a part of most antipasto plates or menus. It is just your basic bread topped with extra flavorful ingredients. The most common crostini are chicken liver pate, diced tomatoes with olive oil and Tuscan white beans with more read more
Kale, Beans and Bread Soup. Literally “Reboiled” this twice-cooked soup is the epitome of peasant food, and perhaps the best representative of Tuscan cuisine. Composed of classic regional ingredients: white or borlotti beans and Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) most traditional recipes call for making a rich minestrone including onion, celery, read more
Unsalted Bread. One of the most interesting Tuscan gastronomic oddities is the so called “pane sciapo” or “pane sciocco”, which means insipid bread, bread baked without salt. A couple of theories try to explain the reason why bread is unsalted. The first one, and the most reliable one, wants this read more
Gelato, artisanal ice cream, was invented in Florence during the Renaissance period by a poulterer named Ruggeri. Ruggeri took part in a contest held by the ‘de Medici family who wanted to find “the most unconventional plate ever seen”. The unconventional plate Ruggeri prepared was a frozen dessert, precisely gelato. read more
Typical Florentine Street Food Lampredotto is one of the four stomachs of a cow, the fourth to be exact. The name “lampredotto” comes from the visible resemblance to the mouth of the lamprey eel which used to inhabit the Arno in days long gone. There are many stories regarding the read more
Typical Autumn Chestnut Cake. This not-too sweet cake made from chestnut flour developed long ago among poor farmers and peasants, where the chestnut once formed the base of the peasant diet due to their low cost and many uses. Originally it was prepared with only chestnut flour, water and when read more