Tuscan cuisine

Speaking about the Tuscan cuisine, it has vey ancient origins. Recipes remained unchanged for centuries. Sobriety and simplicity: Tuscan cuisine has its roots in history.

Some recipes even date back to the Etruscans, and have been handed down unaltered untill today. Tuscan cuisine had its greatest prominence with the Medici family.

Not everyone knows about the “Cibreo“, one of Caterina de’ Medici favourite plates, which have been rediscoverd in recent years, becoming becoming very popular throughout the whole Tuscan territory.

The typical regional recipes have medieval origins and are very simple as there was a limited exchange of goods and money was. Some examples are the Florentine “ribollita” or the Sienese “panforte”. The ingredients were few and people had to manage with what they had at home.

Simplicity, genuineness and sobriety are the main adjectives of Tuscan cuisine, very careful to traditions and with a peasant imprint.

A rustic but refined cuisine, with simple but genuine tastes.

Meat in Tuscan cuisine 

The highlight of the tradition is meat, especially the red onet. Very famous all over the world is the Chianina meat, specific for the Fiorentina steak. It is obtained from adult cattle reared in Val di Chiana.

Vension is also widely used. Let’s think, for example, of first courses such as the famous pappardelle with wild boar or second courses such as stewed wild boar.

A special place is also reserved for white meats, such as rabbit or chicken. Precisely for the latter, the reference to the Renaissance recipe of Biancomangiare is a must.

Or again, let’s think of refined meats such as that of goose. Its ragù, goose salami or stewed cooking represent authentic Tuscan specialties.

Tuscan fish and bread

On the Tuscan coast, the main dish is fish.

The most common cooking is probably the alla livornese” one, that is through a stew made with tomato and sautéed. From this method comes the famous Caciucco alla Livornese, a typical Tuscan fish soup.

How to forget about bread? Usually famous for being without salt,  many typical recipes use Tuscan bread, even stale.

It is the cas of the panzanella, or the pappa al pomodoro, but even of the ribollita.

Tuscan sweets and wine

How to finish with a flourish? Of course, with the excellent Tuscan desserts! The most famous are those of the province of Siena: panforte, cavalucci and ricciarelli.

The cantucci di Prato, the castagnaccio or the “ugly but good” are also excellent.

Last but certainly not least, it is the wine, which allows to taste the typical dishes at their best.

Weather, territory and farming make wine such as Chianti, Morellino di Scansano and Brunello di Montalcino some of the best in the world.

Didn’t you feel hungry after talking about Tuscan cuisine?

So fasten your aprons and prepare the cookers since in the next article we will discover the recipe of a typical dish …

Can you guess which one?

A little clue: it is one of Caterina de ‘Medici’s favorite dishes …