When the Mad Cow Disease epidemic exploded in Europe, the EU passed some strict measures with respect to meat production, and one of those bans has kept Florence’s most famous dish, the Bistecca Fiorentina, off of dinner tables since 2001.
To the delight of Florentines, last week health officials declared the measures were no longer necessary for Italian and Tuscan Chianina beef and determined that the EU could lift the ban.
According to the ban, the spinal cord of bovine older that 12 months was not safe for human consumption due to the potential risk of contracting Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or, Mad Cow Disease. This meant that the traditional steak, which includes the T-shaped spinal bone of the cow, could no longer be served, unless the cow from which it came was less than a year old. But according to the official guidelines for how to prepare a true Bistecca Fiorentina, set by the Accademia della Fiorentina in 1991, the cut must include the filet, sirloin, and in the middle, the T-bone; it must be 2 to 3 centimetres in height; and it may only be cooked 5 minutes on each side over a high flame.
One key factor, however, that has been lacking since the ban began, is that, for best flavour, an adult cow must be used. With the 12-month limit lifted, the most preferred cows may be used again. The beef industry hopes that lifting the ban will also assure those still hesitant consumers that Italian beef is clear of danger. Indeed, beef consumption in Italy has fallen by 3.4% since the onset of the Mad Cow epidemic. And now, with the increased number of cows that can be marketed, there are also hopes that the cost of beef will decrease.
