Tuscan cuisine & wine
The charm of the Tuscan cuisine is given by its simplicity. There's no need for heavy sauces to hide the food because locals use the freshest ingredients with pure and strong flavors and you can always feel the natural flavor. The very best dishes are surprisingly basic but still a temptation to the taste buds.
Whether you choose to stay in a comfortable holiday home or in a fancy Tuscan villa the local food will be a celebration for your senses. Tuscans love to eat homemade ribbons of egg pasta in hare sauce, gently boiled beans or meats grilled over wood coals. The region is also famous for its hearty soups, unsalted breads, fish, delicious cheeses and first class wines. Olive oil is a common feature of the Mediterranean meals and locals use it generously for dressing salads, flavoring soups or dipping bread. Local savory herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, parsley complete the mouthwatering Tuscan cuisine. All the these elements have been refined during the centuries to perfection. Vegetarians will be delighted to taste the dishes of artichokes, asparagus, peas, fennel, and wild mushrooms.
The traditional dishes vary by town or region. Every place has its own version of favorite meals. One of the most popular is the Ribollita sometimes called the king of Tuscan soups. It is a rich  vegetable soup with dried beans thickened to a stew by soaking stale bread in it overnight and reboiled next day. Poured over new slices of bread and drizzling with fresh olive oil this famous soup always includes leftover bread, cannellini beans and inexpensive vegetables such as carrot, zucchini, spinach, cavolo nero (an Italian cabbage) and onion.
Other traditional Tuscan recipes worth to be tried are:
Pappardelle are wide noodles folded in a sauce made of wild boar stewed in red wine. Another delicious sauce for pappardelle is made of braised hare.
Fagioli al fiasco is prepared according to a traditional method. Beans are simmered in an empty bottle and put in the fireplace on charcoal fire. Seasoned with cloves of garlic, sage leaves salt and pepper it is an ideal side dish to meats and poultry.
Read on >>
Pecorino is the finest and tastiest sheep cheese in Italy. It is available in various states, from soft to harder and sharper. Aged pecorinos range in color from white to pale yellow and have a sharp, pungent flavor and are good with red wine or grated over pasta. The cheese is kept under ash, or wrapped in grape leaves, or dusted with Tuscan pepper.
Panzanella is a refreshing bread salad popular in summer. It includes sliced bread and fresh tomatoes, flavored with basil, olive oil, and vinegar, often with salt and pepper. The older the saltless Tuscan bread, the better is the taste. This meal is quick to make, requires no cooking, and is the perfect thing to enjoy it especially at a picnic.
 Tuscany is one of the few regions of Italy where beef is popular. The Chianina beef is a breed of white cattle raised in the Arezzo area of Tuscany and it is considered to be the best available. The perfect way to enjoy the chianina beef is a thick Bistecca Fiorentina, a thick, juicy steak, simply brushed with olive oil and cracked pepper and grilled over a wood fire. Seasoned only with a little salt to keep the original flavor it is served on a bed of arugula alongside some roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe. And if you can get enough of meat choose our holiday home in Latreina where you can buy young pig seasoned and roasted in the oven right in the town's market.
Tuscany, produces some of the best wines in Italy. The traditional rich strong reds are a good companion to the typical dishes of the Tuscan cuisine. Italy's most famous wine is unquestionably the Chianti, produced all around central Tuscany. This wine is produced in seven defined zones, but the best wines generally come from the hilly areas of Classico and Rufina. The firm, full-bodied Chianti is pressed from Sangiovese grape. Our holiday homes in Greve in Chinati are the ideal choice for visitors interested in wine tasting and  guided visits to the best Tuscan wine makers. Typical flavors in a Chianti include cherry, plum, strawberry, spice, almonds, tobacco and vanilla.
Brunello di Montalcino is considered the best Italian wine, and is probably the most expensive. A favorite accompaniment for Florence stake. It has an intense ruby red color tending to garnet with age. The wine has an intense perfume with a dry, warm and robust flavor. The 1997 vintage is considered to be the best ever.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano is the most well known Tuscan white wine. It comes from the famous hill town of San Gimignano. It is made from the Vernaccia grape, and is a light, dry wine of very reliable quality. A perfect companion for seafood, or rabbit stew and other white meat dishes. It is also consumed with cold meats like prosciutto and salami. The wine has a pale straw-yellow color tending to golden with aging and a dry, harmonious taste with slight bitter aftertaste.
<<Close
Cheap hotels
Compare cheap flights and airline tickets worldwide from all major travel websites; chosen by our team of travel experts.
|
