Belgians may be ‘bourgondiers’, but the Italians also have a thing or two to say when it comes to eating.
If Italy is known for being a gastronomic nirvana, then nowhere is this more in evidence than among the cypress trees and olive bushes that are dotted all over Tuscany’s rolling hills. It’s a region of extreme beauty where the climate and culture contribute to deliver fresh ingredients for their dishes.
Last summer Breandán and I took a trip to Italy to sample some beer and chocolate and in doing so we discovered a whole world of exciting Tuscan cuisine. With summer only a few months away, we thought we’d set out some of the highlights we experienced on that trip so that you know what to do in Tuscany when you’re exploring their food and drink.
7 TUSCAN CUISINE HIGHLIGHTS
If you can accomplish everything below in one day, we will be impressed!
1. APERITIF (11.30am)
The Wine of Fattoria Santa Maria (Tonfo de Massi)
Pick any road between two villages as you set off for the morning and you’ll likely come across a ‘Fattotoria’. Some sort of barrel usually marks the dirt road entrance.
Try the route between Montescudaio and Guardistallo and you might come across Fattatoria Santa Maria, a series of farm-houses and vineyards where Marco D’Antilio and his family produce their Tonfo de Massi wine, named for a spot on the Cecina river where their vineyards spring their white grapes.
Enjoy a glass or two, take in the breathtaking views and marvel at the way Marco’s mother is still the boss in this family.
2. LUNCH (12.30pm)
The Prosccuito and Pecorino Cheese of Bolgheri
Stop for lunch in this authentic Tuscan village and watch locals from the village square park benches under the shade of the olive trees as they engage in conversations with their hands.
The star of the show here is prosccuito – thinly sliced uncooked and dry-cured ham – and a hard cheese made from ewe’s milk called ‘pecorino’, the name of which derives from the Italian word for ‘sheep’.
Don’t forget to bring a knife, or you’ll have to use your Delhaize loyalty card to prepare your ingredients.
3. RIPOSO SWEET (2.00pm)
The Chocolate of San Gimignano
If you haven’t heard of Ferrero Rocher, then you’ve probably heard of Nutella. Every form of chocolate, from the bars for the masses to the most sophisticated pralines, have a presence in Italy.
The walled town of San Gimignano may be well known for its torture museums and medieval buildings, but it’s here you’ll find a range of chocolateries to grab a sweet afternoon treat.
Take a piece of chocolate and wash it down with an Italian coffee as you look to the sandstone architecture on one side and the mountain top views on the other. Then take another piece of chocolate.
4. AFTERNOON APPETISER (3.00pm)
The Pickled Asparagus of Tenuta di Sticciano
You’ve got the opportunity to stretch your legs as you make your way through sleeping Tuscan villages of abandoned old stone farm-houses to Tenuta di Sticciano.
You’ll experience first hand how much comes from the land in this region, but the walk is uphill and energy-sapping, so on arriving at your destination, pick up some pickled asparagus with your glass of afternoon wine to refresh your palette and your senses.
5. EVENING DRINK (6.30pm)
The Beer of Montescudaio
Montescudaio may be in the heart of a traditional wine region but you’ll see evidence of beer from small producers popping up the more you explore this town.
Pop into the Birrificio Artigiano Toscano, the village microbrewery, where one of the founders, Luca uses his experience as a wine sommelier to proudly create interesting top fermented beers.
Try their Cingha-Ale, a light-bodied, floral and fruity beer of 5.5% ABV, the name of which is a wordplay on the Italian word for a wild boar. Or buy a bottle of their Càrma, a beer fermented with a white wine yeast with a fruity and mediterranean character of 6% ABV.
6. DINNER (8.00pm)
The Pasta of Volterra
Pasta is synonymous with Italy and Tuscan cuisine is no exception. Every region of Italy has a tradition of producing and eating pasta in its own shapes, colours and sizes, reflecting the ingredients that were more readily to hand in the local region as well as influenced by the sauces and recipes of the region.
Encounter various types in a Volterra pasta shop, whether it’s the large broad ribbons of Pappardelle, the half-circle parcels stuffed with meat and cheese that are Tordelli Versiliesi or the thick hand-stretched pieces of Pici.
7. DESSERT (9.30pm)
The Ice-Cream of Sienna
Italians gather round ice-cream shops in the evening as the Irish do in the pub so find one in Sienna and drink in the social and cultural significance of ice-creams and milkshakes.
Gawp with amazement at the designer motorbike helmets and flawless leather shoes in your presence as you lick on your super creamy fresh Italian gelato, with its lower milk content and fuller flavours.
TELL US YOUR TUSCAN CUISINE HIGHLIGHTS
There is so much to discover in Tuscan cuisine and we know that we only scratched the surface on our short trip to Italy.
Is there anything you feel we should add to the list? If you have taken a trip to Italy recently, let us know what your own Tuscan cuisine highlights were.
