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Food and wine in Florence and Tuscany, including food stories, restaurant reviews and wineries.
One story places all the blame on the Pisans. In fact, an old Tuscan proverb declares, Meglio un morto in casa che un pisano all’uscio, which roughly translated means ‘Better a death in the family than someone from Pisa on your doorstep’. This epitomises the rivalry
The current popularity of ‘enogastronomy’- wine and food related tourism – may seem new but Italian wines have been drawing visitors since the Greeks overran the Etruscans. However, unlike food, wine in Italy in the last 35 years has changed dramatically. Around that time, Italians began to realize
You’re bound to have seen them in the countryside: men and women, often elderly, bent over double as they forage and pluck in fi elds and on grassy verges of roads, tossing their pickings into a sack. What are they gathering so diligently? It’s no mystery.
Cynara was a beautiful girl, with hair the color of ash (from the Latin word for ash Cinis-cineris), and Jupiter fell desperately in love with her. You know how Jupiter was. When he fell in love, he just wanted the girl and tried every trick to conquer her, despite
There is no doubt that the standard of Tuscan wines has improved dramatically in the last two decades and that the battle between Tuscany and Piedmonte continues, as both strive for the premier accolade in Italy. However, even these excellent wines may be ‘corked’, and this can lead
The next time you walk past that white bulb with the green fronds at your grocer’s, stop and appreciate that it is one of nature’s marvels. It is both an ...
I love Carnival in Tuscany. From the tiniest village party to the huge street parade in Viareggio, tricksters and costumes abound. Tiny children parade on Sunday afternoon along the Arno River dressed as Zorro or little princesses, while older kids run around spraying colored threads from cans and launching confetti
The following is from Ely, barman of Eby's Latin Bar. Eby's is specialised in Latin cuisine, fresh fruit drinks and other cocktails. The most popular cocktail at Eby's Latin Bar is the Pineapple Daiquiri. It's a vitamin-filled cocktail, made with high quality fresh
When we think of celebrations, we think of toasting with Champagne. But isn’t every day worth celebrating? Why not drink sparkling wines more often? Why not have them throughout a meal instead of just before or after? It’s all in the bubbles: carbon dioxide forms during
Tuscany is a food lover’s paradise. Each village has a speciality worth travelling to taste -- great wines, extra virgin olive oil, artisan cheeses, organic herbs. All make great gifts to bring back home to create your own fabulous dishes and share a “Taste of Tuscany” with
In Florence, the worth of bar (or what we would call a café) is measured by its coffee—so much so that espresso machines are made to hold an upended bag of coffee in full display so that customers can see which roaster the café uses.
New Year’s Eve can be very dangerous in Italy; “out with the old” can mean broken plates and even larger items being thrown out of windows. So stay away from open windows! Italy is no different than many other countries in having foods which symbolise wealth
“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” are fine, but a favorite sound of the season is the pop of a cork from Champagne or another sparkling wine. About 40% of ...
My husband Andrea is the happiest when I make bollito misto for the holidays the dish that keeps on giving. I like to make it the day before the meal. We begin our meal with chicken liver crostini, serve tortellini in brodo as the first course, and the boiled meats
10 Vino Novello You’ve probably seen wine shops and restaurants advertising the arrival of the newest wines and maybe wondered what the fuss is all about. Vino novello tends to be quite fruity and has a very distinct sweet flavour, but is worth trying and pairing with
Women chefs are an anomaly in Italy, and for that matter, in most of Europe. In North America more and more women are stirring the pot in this male dominated industry, but here in Italy, the domain of the professional kitchen still remains an impenetrable bastion for women despite the
There is a habit in Italy—and Florence is no exception—of talking about food while eating (“wonderful meals I’ve eaten” being a particularly frequent topic). And if you were to ask a Florentine how important food is in the grand scheme of
Thanksgiving - il giorno di ringraziamento - is less than a week away. Whether you are in Florence as a visitor, a student, or a resident, it is likely that your plans for the day are made. If you are an American or a Canadian – or the child of one &
It’s olive harvest season. Time stops; nets and parachutes burst open like giant mushrooms in the November green olive orchards surrounding our city. This is where one of the world’s best quality extra virgin olive oil is produced. Fairly out of place with every day&
Since medieval days, the territorial battles between Florence and Siena have become the stuff of legend. The battle of Montaperti is still a dispute that can make blood pressure rise and cause faces to become red with indignation. The Guelphs (Florentines) and the Ghibellines (Sienese) fought out their differences in
