This year will mark 50 years (yikes!) since I saw the Tuscan sun for the first time. I can clearly remember that first morning in the little pensione on Via 27 Aprile when I flung open the shutters to discover the most vivid colors, sparkling clean air and brightest sun I had ever seen. Tuscany is a region located in central Italy but ask any Tuscan and they will tell you it is the center of the universe. They are exceedingly proud of their heritage and are profoundly connected to their culture, not the least of which is their culinary patrimony. Our menu this week will travel through the region, highlighting specialties from its different provinces. We are also introducing...
Puglia: Frugality & Abundance.
Puglia, at the heel, highlights the desirable qualities of Italian life that draws us all to this amazing country. It is scattered with Baroque architecture, pristine wilderness and wonderful beaches, charming villages, olive and citrus groves, underground caves and Roman ruins.
Puglia’s agricultural heritage and enviable coasts make it the perfect place for great food. Ironically, this is “cucina povera,” though rich in produce and ingredients. Here there is a straightforward and practical attitude towards food. Its cooks are creative and have an enormous capacity of making something out of nothing.
Florence in June – Bitter Rivalries & Sweet Elixirs. June in a wonderful month to visit Florence. It is a month when pagan and Christian rites combine to celebrate colorful sporting events, Renaissance parades, and ancient culinary traditions. Calcio Storico is a well-kept Florentine secret; Medieval-style soccer played in typical Renaissance garb. Think rugby meets cage-fighting with pantaloons. Not only does June 24th mark the birthdate of Florence’s patron saint, John the Baptist, it is the day to harvest soft green walnuts to make the spicy “digestivo,” Nocino. Florentine cuisine today is earthy and rustic much like it was as the time of the Renaissance. The “Trattoria” is the keeper of these culinary traditions, the equivalent of Nonna’s cooking. Our menu this...
Sicilian Paradiso.
Because of its strategic location in the center of the Mediterranean, Sicily attracted numerous invaders, all leaving their mark on local cuisine. It is simple food, “cucina povera,” but immensely rich in ingredients, giving us some wonderfully flavorful options for our summer Sicilian menu. Fruits and vegetables are abundant. Eggplant, fennel, tomato, citrus, peaches, pistachios, almonds, olives, ricotta and swordfish are all featured.
Though agriculturally rich, Sicily has suffered under the weight of adversity. Internationally acclaimed film, Cinema Paradiso, offers a particularly poignant glimpse into post war rural life – still amazingly relevant today. We think it is an enriching addition to this week’s menu, creating an authentic Sicilian experience.
Emilia-Romagna: Heartland of Ingredients
Think of your favorite Italian ingredients…pasta, olive oil, parmesan, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, and cured meats. These are the cornerstones of Italian cuisine and they are what make Emilia-Romagna one of the most important gastronomic regions of Italy. Italians have an innate sense of place. Land is of upmost importance as the source of ingredients for their century’s old recipes. It is the root of their heritage and their cuisine – an expression of local values. This week’s menu showcases these mainstays and more of Italian regional cooking and brings me back to some fun memories as a young American roughing it in the Italian Apennines.
