A Taste of Tuscany
A Taste of Tuscany
A crunchy slice of freshly baked ciabatta bread, roughly diced red-ripe tomatoes, hand- torn sweet basil, a drizzle of peppery Tuscan olive oil, a splash of rich balsamic di Modena and flakes of sea salt … is there a more tempting combination of simple ingredients that excites our appetite’s more?
Whether you have been to Italy or not, one thing for sure that everyone knows about, is its rustic, simple cuisine. With quality ingredients, simple execution and respect for tradition, Italy has earned a reputation as having one of the most tempting cuisines of the world!
Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine Steak)
Traditionally the meat for a Bistecca alla Fiorentina comes from a Tuscan breed of cattle called the Chianina. When exploring the Chianni region, I can see why these beasts are some of the healthiest and happiest steer that I’ve ever seen. Gently rolling hills, golden wheat fields, silver olive groves and pea-green vineyards with sharp terraced rows on hillsides is where they roam and pick up their rich, beefy, dark coloured meat. Once slaughtered, it is then dried and aged to enhance its meaty flavours. The steak is sliced as a cryosection cut from the loin. This includes the fillet, essentially making it what we know as a T-Bone steak, or porterhouse if you’re American.
Cooking a Bistecca alla Fiorentina is definitely an art. The steak should always be cooked from room temperature, never from the fridge. It is always cooked over coals to absorb delectable smokey flavours, with only 3–5 minutes on each side, turning it once with a high heat charring the outside and leaving the inside very rare but warm.
Gorging on a beefy blue T-bone steak in Tuscany is one of the most primitive and greatest culinary experiences. You will not be disappointed once the meal is completed. Although, be warned ,no other steak will be the same and it can be a lot to handle on a solo effort. Best to share the experience with a friend; preferably not a vegan.
Tuscan food is slow food, as opposed to fast food in America. Tuscany dining has redefined the Sunday Lunch. Tuscans will bring a succession of traditional dishes that can take the whole afternoon. From aperitif to espresso, clocking up the lunch hours, traditional dishes like tomatoes soaked in bread with a superb olive oil with stuffed mussels Livorno style, which includes crusty bread, garlic and parsley, parmesan and sometimes ground beef. Or another traditional dish of meatballs cooked in a rich, briny beef tomato stock. How about a slow cooked tripe with onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes served with a green salsa verde, chopped capers, fresh herbs and lemon.
