A Glimpse of Tuscan Cuisine – Best Food in Florence
Tuscan Cuisine
Travelling to Florence, made us take a glimpse of Tuscan cuisine. It was expected to be good, but it is was way ahead of the expected. It is Italy, but a different type. Their food is soul food. So hearty, warm and homey. It gives you the sentiment of belonging and also of intrigue. The taste is somehow familiar, but also surprising.
If you are planning to travel to Florence, or anywhere in the amazing region of Tuscany, prepare yourself for one of the best culinary experiences of your life.
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The Tuscan Cuisine
Italian cuisine is one of the finest in the entire world. The Mediterranean specific taste, the addition of their lovely carbohydrates and that special touch, that only Italians know how to give, make Italian food a pillar in the art of eating.
Tuscany is one of Italy’s regions. As in many countries, same in Italy, each region has something special to give in terms of cuisine. The freshness of the ingredients is of course, important everywhere. But Tuscans highly respect their amazing fruits and vegetables and their way of cooking is special. They cook the ingredients in a specific form, always keeping in mind that the most important thing is preserving the quality of the produce. This totally makes sense, as they are blessed with such good quality produce.
Another important fact in the specifics of Tuscan cuisine is that they are true to their roots and pay a lot of respect to their traditions. They have recipes dating from some centuries ago.
Appetizers
The perfect way to start a meal in Italy. This country is world renowned for its wide selection of amazing appetizers. Of course, Tuscany continues the track and give us some of their best bites.
Some of the best appetizers to try out are: Panigaccio (a traditional flat bread served with cheese or cured meat products), Fettunta (a slice of bread, covered in olive oil and rubbed with garlic), Frittata di Zucchine (to best describe it: an omelet with zucchini), Crostini Toscani (a slice of bread topped with chicken liver pate), alongside this selection of appetizers, we could also add their wide selection of cured meats.
Soups
In this region, one of the most used ingredients, besides tomatoes, are beans and bread. As being some of their favorite ingredients, don’t be surprised when I say that the best Tuscan soups, contain bread. The famous Ribollita, a dish so profoundly impregnated in their culture, contain those exact two ingredients. Zuppa Toscana is a traditional soup that crossed borders and is a must in every respectful Italian restaurant worldwide, so it is a must to try it at its origins.
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Main Course
As in any place in Italy, pasta dishes are at their place and their best. But, not to become that predictable, I will not emphasize on eating pasta in Italy. Tuscany has a huge tradition in recipes containing meat. From pork, to game, here you will taste the absolute best of their cuisine. They are specialists in stews like Spezzatino, but the queen of Tuscan food is: Bistecca Alla Fiorentina. It is the perfect steak, served rare and paired with one of their finest wines.
Desserts
Everybody has a passion for sweets. Italian sweets are not that rich in sugar, but they compensate with their unbelievable taste. There are a lot of desserts to try out in this region in Italy: Bomboloni (doughnuts), Gelato or Torta della Nona (Grandma’s cake). My personal favorite is: Cantuccini Toscani. These are the perfect biscuits. They are hard almond biscuits, that are double backed.
The Staple of Tuscan Cuisine
Tuscany is wine, best wine. This is the perfect occasion to taste so much wine. Everything in Tuscan cuisine can be perfectly accompanied with one of their famous wines.
A taste of Tuscan Cuisine
Staying just for three nights in Florence was a little bit short. Of course, we want to return. Besides the beauty, history and art, that this city has to offer, their cuisine is one of the main factors that made us want to be back. We hope, that we will manage to prepare a longer vacation in Tuscany, to be able to discover all that this beautiful region has to offer. Tuscany is delicious and…Travelicious.