Archive for 'Food and Wine'

Castagnaccio – which can also be known as baldino, ghirighio and pattona – is a plain cake which is made from chestnut flour and is found in Tuscany, Liguria, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Corsica. However, it is widely considered a Tuscan dish with its origins being disputed and debated but often attributed to the town of Lucca. The Commentario delle più notabili et mostruose cose d'Italia e di altri luoghi by Ortensio Landi from 1553 gives credit to a "Pilade from Lucca" as the inventor ("fu il primo che facesse castagnazzi e di questo ne riportò loda”) and as this is a rather early written record, it is one of the best sources we have to go on.

It is a typically autumnal dessert made with chestnut flour, raisins, pine nuts, walnuts and rosemary. There is no yeast nor baking powder, nor sugar. Like a lot of Tuscan desserts, it also isn't that sweet, sitting somewhere between bread and cake. As a result, it is not as indulgent or as bad for you as most cakes and can be enjoyed without any sense of guilt. Better yet, it's quite easy to make once you source the flour (online or in an Italian delicatessen is probably easiest). Just find a luxury villa in Lucca and taste it there while on holidays. Or, if you can't possibly wait that long, why not try it at home first and get excited for an autumnal getaway in beautiful Tuscany.

Panzanella, also called Panmolle, is the quintessential summer salad but is tasty all year long. In fact, it is delicious, easy to make, very healthy, very economical, and lasts for days – everything you could ask for in a dish! It dates back to at least the 14th century, when it was mentioned by the famous writer, Boccaccio, in his work. Another mention of it dates to the 16th century when the Italian painter and poet, Bronzino, also discussed it in his writing. He listed the ingredients as onions, cucumbers with oil and vinegar and toast. Until the 20th century, this was accurate. In the 1900s, tomatoes were introduced due to greater accessibility and became a cornerstone of the Tuscan diet and this dish.

Panzanella is a cold bread salad and its name has rather uncertain origins but it probably derives from “pan” - short for pane, or bread – and “zanella” - an old Italian name for a bowl. Boccaccio's early mention of the dish (as a native of Certaldo) and the fact that Certaldo onions are traditionally used in the recipe for panzanella suggest that this may have been the place of origin of the dish. However, it is now popular all over Tuscany. Find a luxury villa in Tuscany and try this out or prepare it at home first and get excite for your next Tuscan getaway!

Bread is very important in the Florentine and Tuscan diet and is featured in a lot of different kinds of meals and dishes including sandwiches, antipasti, soups and salads. Florentine bread, called pane sciocco, means bread “without salt” and is also a synonym for “stupid” bread. It is immediately recognisable for its uniquely thick crust and its absence of salt. This distinctive absence of salt harkens back to the Middle Ages and there are two stories attributed to its origins. In one a feud between Florence and Pisa cut off the supply of salt to the city of the Medici and in another story, it is claimed that salt once became so heavily taxed that it could no longer be afforded by common folk, who omitted it from their bread. The name “stupid” bread, brings to mind how unusual and silly the recipe must have seemed at first but now it is a point of pride for Tuscans and, to them, other breads seem too salty. Whatever the reasons or origins, you will see this bread everywhere in Florence today. Until you've found the perfect luxury villa in Florence and headed off on your holidays, try this recipe!

Lucca buccellato is the most famous and characteristic dessert from the city of Lucca. In fact, it is so intrinsically part of the town that there is even an idiom to do with it which states, “Whoever comes to Lucca and doesn’t eat buccellato can’t say that they’ve been here” (‘Chi viene a Lucca e non mangia il buccellato è come non ci fosse mai stato’). Buccellato is traditionally donut cake made of flour, eggs, aniseed and raisins but it can also be in loaf form. The name ''buccellato'' comes from the latin ''bucella'' meaning a type of cookie or bread which was given as ration to soldiers. A “buccellatum” was the word for the shape of foods, a round loaf of bread or a crown buccellae.

Gnocchi is a popular Italian dish which is seen as an alternative to pasta and can be drenched in thousands of different delicious sauces. It is not unique to Tuscany, however, you are bound to find gnocchi in countless fantastic restaurants across the region. Given the season, as well, there will be plenty of options on offer with pumpkin sauces or fillings. The Tuscans, in particular, know how to make rich, hearty dishes with comforting tomato sauces. The following recipe is a good example of a seasonal Tuscan take on an Italian classic and is just the thing for devout Hallowe'en fans who like a thematic dish. Unlike the typical boiled gnocchi, this version is made of balls of a tasty pumpkin mixture which is then baked in a tomato sauce to produce a rich and creamy dish, perfect for cooler Autumn days. Find a luxury villa in Tuscany and enjoy the local offerings and, while you're planning your trip, try out this little corker of a recipe.