FOOD + WINE

Food and wine in Florence and Tuscany, including food stories, restaurant reviews and wineries.

FOOD + WINE

Doing the turkey in Tuscany

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 &

FOOD + WINE

Liquid gold: the wonders of ‘Olio Nuovo’

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&

FOOD + WINE

Wine and War

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

FOOD + WINE

Chocolate kisses & more

Having a grandfather who worked for an amazing 42 years for the world famous chocolate makers Cadbury’s, it is no wonder I am a raving chocoholic. I have dreamt of walking through a city where the streets are lined with medieval market stalls displaying the most exquisite mouth-

FOOD + WINE

Stomping time in Italy

From August to November, from Italy’s mountainous north to its sunniest south, the grape harvest is under way. Once the legal time to harvest has begun – and this date varies by region – winemakers and agronomists try to select the exact moment when their grapes are perfectly

FOOD + WINE

Over the tuscan stove – time to celebrate!

Depending on the weather, August and September bring the wine harvest. And, what would a harvest be without a festival? Italy is the only country in the world where every single region makes wine. So the whole country will be celebrating. I BRAKE FOR SAGRE! The local food festivals called

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Slow food,

It almost sounds like the beginning of a novel: a group of friends sharing a bottle of wine and talking about the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome. About how this could be the end of the treasured, ancient Italian

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Over the tuscan stove – Notte di San Lorenzo!

August 10 is the feast day of the patron saint of the central market, San Lorenzo.  Patron saint of chefs, he was grilled to death and is often shown with the grill in his hands, and as in the photo, over open flames!   A festival is held in

FOOD + WINE

Over the Tuscan stove – you say tomato

I adore tomatoes, in all their various forms, and what better place than Italy to enjoy them! When the tomatoes come into season, it is time to celebrate!   Caprese salad with large, sliced ripe tomatoes, served with the freshest Mozzarella di Bufala, and garnished with basil, only needs a

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Sleepy Settignano’s best kept secret

A stone’s throw away from Florence, yet overlooked by most tourist itineraries, is Settignano, a largely undiscovered treasure of a town that sits quietly and tranquilly to the northeast of the city.  Although its vistas are perhaps not quite on a par to those of Fiesole, its

FOOD + WINE

Over the tuscan stove – carciofi di leo

I adore shopping at Leo’s stand. He carries only a few products, all displayed as if at Tiffany’s, with each tomato shining, melons cut open for tasting, their perfume calling out “Assaggiami” (taste me), along with the rest of the season’s best. &

FOOD + WINE

Top of the ‘Pops’ Coming to an Enoteca Near You…

Temperatures soared the last two weeks of May, but the weather wasn’t the only thing that was ‘hot.’ Hundreds of wine producers were busy showcasing their latest wares at various locations throughout Tuscany. So what was the verdict? What was hot and what was not? And

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Over the tuscan stove – Homemade liqueurs

Raised in California, I’d never seen fireflies until I moved here. I’ll never forget the first night I saw them. What a miracle! I passed the Ferragamo Villa while driving into Florence from Fiesole. It looked as though they had decorated their fields with Christmas lights.

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Over the tuscan stove – erbe toscane (tuscan herbs)

What gives the Florentine roast pork, Arista, that fabulous flavour?   Why are the roast potatoes here the best you’ve ever had?   Where can you get some of this ...

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Summer Sagras

Summer in Florence means strolls along the Arno at sunset, gelato with friends, and dinners alfresco that go late into the night. But for those willing to venture beyond the city walls, summer also means a world of Tuscan tastes and traditions—at the sagra.   Sagra is the

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Coffee Italian style

You would never have believed anything so simple as having a coffee could possibly be so complicated; but once you really understand Italian coffee you too will appreciate and indeed hold in great esteem the greatest of all Italian rituals - prendere un caffè (having a coffee).     What? &

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Support your local botteghe

“LA CUCINA TOSCANA” is world famous because of unique dishes and, above all, because of the care and love that goes into it’s preparation, searching for local ingredients, preparing meals ...

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Castellina

Castellina is one of the three castle towns in the heart of Chianti. From its hilltop position, it dominates the area. The area is rich in barbaric, Roman, and Etruscan history. Deriving from the Latin fons Rutilus (“clean spring”), the small village of Fonterutoli is located on the

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Wine lovers delight

One of the dilemmas of choosing that perfect bottle of wine is being faced with an endless array of colourful, but confusing labels. The more expensive the bottle, the more difficult the decision.   How to weigh the myriad of choices? Enter the wine festivals. Here in Tuscany, they are

FOOD + WINE

Restaurants of San Lorenzo

As you wander through Florence and visit the museums, churches and historical sites, take time to enjoy the city’s special eating-places. Following are a couple of my favorites in and nearby the San Lorenzo Market. Remember, the market hours are from 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

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Over the Tuscan stove – Primavera!

It’s easy to be a great chef when you use the best in seasonal ingredients available.  And,  spring is one of the reasons you remember why you love Tuscany so much!   Once the rain has stopped and the sun has come out, the hills become

FOOD + WINE

Buon appetito (or not): etiquette at the Italian table

It was a regular mealtime at home (of course) and something occurred that spun me into a frantic Google search and prompted further research. The culprit? My three year old. ...

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