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Discovering the city of Dante
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Sometimes seeing the art is not enough to truly enjoy a city like Florence; there are other facets of the local culture worth exploring.
A good starting point is Tuscan gastronomic culture: the choice offered by this city is as wide the variety of establishments offering typical local cuisine, starting from the famous "Fiorentina" (Tuscan T-bone steak).
This particular cut of meat traces its origins to the night of "San Lorenzo" (St. Laurence, 10 August) when it was tradition to roast whole quarters of veal in the square. The Italian word for steak "bistecca", in fact comes from a mispronunciation of "beef steak" as ordered by British travelers. True connoisseurs maintain that a proper "Fiorentina" should not be thicker than two fingers and should have a raw weight of 600-800 grams per portion (21-28 oz).
The gastronomic culture of Florence, however, is not limited to the "bistecca" (Florentine's name for Fiorentina) as Tuscan cuisine is renowned for many other specialties.
An honest to goodness temple of such specialties is the enoteca "Pinchiorri", which, among other things, occupies a beautiful renaissance-period palace on via Ghibellina, in the heart of old Florence. |
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FROM APPETIZERS TO DESSERTS |
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It is well worth your while, in fact, to plan a meal out in order to create an authentic taste experience.
Beginning with hot and spicy "crostini" (toasted bread) with chicken and rabbit liver and continuing with a soup; especially interesting are the chick-pea and spelt soups. Everything is seasoned with extra virgin olive oil from the surrounding hills, which helps bring even the simplest cabbage to a new level.
"Pappardelle" is a very popular first course dish in this area. Pappardelle match up well with meat sauces, from game to duck. One of the most typical first course dishes is Pappardelle with rabbit meat sauce, or, as they say in Florence "sulla lepre" ("on the rabbit").
If it happens to be Friday you can find an "osteria" (a small bar also serving home-style food) proposing baccalà (re-hydrated salt cod) which has been poached and served in a thin tomato sauce which should be dutifully soaked up at the end with lots of Tuscan bread, which, to be authentic, should be "sciocco", that is, made without salt. |
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One cannot speak of Tuscan wine without speaking of "Chianti Classico", fruit of a blend of "Sangiovese", "Canaiolo nero" and "Trebbiano Toscano" grapes, as it has become not only the symbol of this region, but has come to represent Italy in the rest of the world. It would be a shame, however, to be blinded by the "Fiorentina" and not sample the local goat cheese; cheese that should be savoured with honey and a good glass of Chianti.
Before finishing, try dipping a "Cantuccino", crunchy biscuit made with almonds, eggs and flour, in a glass of "Vin Santo" (a syrupy-sweet wine), the pride and glory of local desserts. |
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 Enoteca Pinchiorri
via Ghibellina 87
Firenze
tel. 055.242777
closed: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday lunch
covers: 60
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