Tuscany boasts an ideal geographic positioning in Italy with sea, mountains and rolling hills throughout, making this region rich in diverse wine and food. Where great wine comes from, great food is not far behind. Here three Tuscan specialties you might want to try when in wine country.
3 Tuscan Specialties You Should Know About
Bistecca Fiorentina | Florentine Steak
It’s hard not to start with the one dish that this region is most famous for – a Florentine T-bone steak. You can find it on most Tuscan menus, this steak is unlike other steaks you may have had. It generally weighs about 3 – 4 pounds and comes from the Chiana Valley. It is a must for meat lovers. A steak like this deserves a wine of similar quality and importance such as a Brunello di Montalcino, a red wine also from Tuscany.
Pane Sciocco | Unsalted Bread
This is not a meal on its own, but if you are visiting Tuscany you will certainly recognize that the bread is unlike bread you will find in the rest of Italy. Tuscan bread is made without salt. The reason dates back to the 12th Century Florentines were made to pay a “salt tax”. In protest, they decided to simply not use it any more in one of their most common foods – bread. The culinary tradition stuck and remains a characteristic of Tuscan bread. It actually is the perfect way to scoop up sauces from your dish without adding any additional flavors.
Ribollita | Tuscan Bean and Vegetable Soup
This Tuscan dish is a typical “poor man’s food”, made of green veggies and beans. The soup is called “re-boiled” as it is cooked again the day after it’s made with the addition of just a bit of oil. The origins of this dish come from the Middle ages when servants would repurpose and reheat leftover bread bowls served to nobility the day before.
Buon Appetit!
