During autumn/fall in Tuscany the restaurant menus will be full of dishes featuring freshly picked truffles. The truffle grows symbiotically with oak, hazel, poplar and beech trees. Finding these goodies are not easy though and it is done with the help of a specially trained truffle dog that finds them for the happy owner. During…
If you are visiting Tuscany at the end of October or beginning of November you will get to experience the olive harvest and olive oil production. This is a fun time of the year when the new season olive oil is available for tasting. If the olives are harvested before November you will get an…
Bistecca alla fiorentina, or ‘beefsteak Florentine style’, consists of a T-bone traditionally sourced from either the Chianina or Maremmana breeds of cattle and is a favourite of Tuscan cuisine. The steak is grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, seasoned with salt, (sometimes with black pepper) and olive oil, applied immediately after the meat is…
Tuscany is very much about wine, either from the Chianti or Monalcino regions which produce one of the most exclusive and expensive wines in Italy, the Brunello di Montalcino. Make sure you stop by some vineyards, particularly during the quieter time of the year (not the summer months) you can just drop in at any…
Famed for its beautiful countryside and quintessential medieval towns, it comes as no surprise that Tuscany has been used as the backdrop for many movies, both Italian and international. Here are some you might like to check out (either before your visit, or afterwards to relive your holiday!): Under the Tuscan sun – filmed in…
Pici is a thick, hand-rolled pasta, like a fat spaghetti. It originates in the province of Siena in Tuscany in the Montalcino area where it is also referred to as pinci. The dough is typically made from flour and water only. The addition of egg is optional, being determined by family traditions and is rolled…
Tuscany is rich in hot natural springs that bubble out of the ground and are filled with minerals and the heat of the earth. The springs have been used for their curative properties since the time of the Romans, who believed that the sulphurous water came from Hades, the underworld. Now the major hot springs…
The Brunello wine is one of the best and most pricey wines in Italy. It is a red wine that is produced in the region of Montalcino, around an hours drive south of Siena. The wine is produced with the same grape as the Chianti wine, namely Sangiovese, and the Brunello wine consists of 100%…
In Tuscany you will mostly come across Pecorino cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. Note that the two cheeses are made from different milk sources, Parmesan is made from cow’s milk, whereas Pecorino is made from ewe’s milk. In fact, the word “pecora” is Italian for “ewe”. Italians refer to Parmesan as “Parmigiano Reggiano”. Be aware…
