Archive for 'Food and Wine'

You've finally done it. You've said goodbye to stress, planning, chaos and chores and you've decided to spend Christmas abroad, rather than glued to the kitchen and commitments. You've embraced adventure!

But it's not that simple. Many of us are sentimental about Christmas and the festive period (no matter what you believe or which holidays you celebrate) and it's hard to let go of that entirely. Especially if your social media feeds are full of people gathered in cosy homes with their families. Well, why not have a bit of both? Now that you have found avacation rental in the Florence area, embrace the festivities and the luxury by letting someone else bombard you with delicious food in a lovely setting: the Winter Garden by Caino at the famous and historic St. Regis in Florence.

Spongata di Natale is a round, flat festive Italian cake that has ties to various regions and towns in Italy and is thought to have been brought to Italy by the Jews, though others believe that it is a Roman dish that survived through the Middle Ages. The first recorded written recipe dates back to the end of the 14th century and required three days to complete and we know that its production was even regulated by the famous ducal family of Este by a special decree. While the exact origins are uncertain, we do know that it is a delicious treat, perfect for some rich sweetness during the colder months. A thin, pie-like cake that consists of a crunchy pastry coating and sweet filling made of spices, nuts, honey and dried fruit, it is actually not dissimilar to that more familiar Christmas food staple; the mince pie.

We've previously discussed Italy's Santa, a witch called Befana, before. Befana is a good witch, whose name comes from the Roman dialect's pronunciation of the Italian "epifania" (or Epiphany), and comes delivering gifts for the good children, and lumps of coal to the bad ones on the 5th of January, the night before Epiphany, to make up for missing Jesus long ago. She is visualised as an old and ugly witch who flies on her broom and delivers presents in stockings hanging over the fireplace (sounds familiar!), coming down from the chimney.

Befanini, meanwhile, are soft, sprinkle-covered, cake-like lemon-scented cookies that are typical of the Versilia area on the Tuscan coast. Traditionally made on the 5th, when the Befana is coming to visit, they are beloved of kids and adults alike and for good reason: they're delicious!

All this week we have been talking about foodie trips to Tuscany and introducing you to some incredible food bloggers that live in or know lots about the region. If you are a food lover who has found a vacation rental in Tuscany and are beginning planning your trip, you'll want to know where and what you're going to eat! We have plenty of articles on typical products, foodie experiences, wineries, tours, classes and restaurants but it is always best to hear these things directly from the locals. To help you out, we have rounded up a list of some of the best and most informative food bloggers in Tuscany.

Here are more of our favourite food bloggers in Tuscany but be sure to read our previous posts for more of our picks as well.

Foodies the world over dream of holidaying in Tuscany. If you're one of them and have finally decided on a vacation rental in Tuscany, you'll next need to begin planning your trip and, importantly, where and what you're going to eat! We have plenty of articles on typical products, foodie experiences, wineries, tours, classes and restaurants but it is always best to hear these things directly from the locals. To help you out, we have rounded up a list of some of the best and most informative food bloggers in Tuscany.

Here are more of our favourite food bloggers in Tuscany but be sure to read our previous posts for more of our picks as well.