When you book a villa in Tuscany for November, you will arrive to a landscape transformed: rolling green hills draped dramatically more often in fog in the mornings and dotted by forests and woods with foliage in a stunning array of golden, russet, and crimson shades. Tourist crowds will have finally thinned to their smallest for the year, giving you plenty of space to explore towns, cities, and attractions and to admire views and magical scenery without having to bob and weave around people's heads. Best of all, you'll find that kitchens are well stocked with rich harvests to make hearty seasonal dishes that are ideal for warming up after days of hiking, strolling around historic centres, and dashing between attractions and museums like the Uffizi. Here are the incredible foods that you can indulge in while staying in one of our incredible luxury villas in Tuscany this November...
Wild Boar
For meat-lovers, November is an opportunity to sample one of the region's most beloved meat dishes in many forms. Wild Boar hunting season begins on the first of the month and then it appears in dishes on menus all across the region. Be sure to try it if you're up for sampling local specialities as it is something that you can only really enjoy at this time of the year and is prepared by cooks with generations of family recipes and experience to draw on. Another thing to keep in mind is that as hunters will be in the woods, if you're exploring at this time of the year, it is best to make sure that you wear bright colours so you can easily be spotted.
Truffles
We've discussed truffles many times before on this blog but they are worth mentioning here again because November is a key time to enjoy this highly prized ingredient. From the famous international truffle fair in San Miniato where the best of the best will go on sale, to truffle hunting expeditions that you can join personally, to products you can stock up on at markets or supermarkets no matter where you find a vacation rental in Tuscany at this time of the year, to simply choosing a truffle-based dish on a menu, there are plenty of ways to experience these beloved tubers.
Vegetables
Some of the most incredible winter veg can also be enjoyed by discerning foodies who visit at this time of the year. In November, beets, artichokes, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, leeks, spinach, radicchio, and pumpkins are all in season. So, if you choose dishes that incorporate these vegetables in restaurants that make use of local ingredients (as many family-run businesses do in the region) then you're going to get fresh, flavourful, wholesome meals as a result. It makes getting your 5-a-day all the more appealing...
Chestnuts and walnuts
While chestnuts start appearing in October, come November they are really in full swing and you'll find street vendors in cities and towns selling roasted chestnuts that can be enjoyed as you wander about. Book a villa in Florence or a vacation rental in Pisa, for example, and you'll be able to savour roasted chestnuts while taking in the Leaning Tower of Pisa or while you make your way to Florence's Duomo. Or, if you're in a coffee shop or bakery you might order castagnaccio, one of several dishes made with chestnut flour. Additionally, walnuts are also abundant at this time of the year and make for a great snack or a tasty addition to various treats.
Olive Oil
As olive oil is pressed at this time of the year, it is also an excellent time to stock up on some of the highest-quality olive oil in the world, join a guided tasting experience, watch traditional pressings take place, or even attend an olive oil and food (and wine) festival like the Festa del Buco Unto that is held in the medieval village of Civitella Marittima each November and is ideal for those spending time in a holiday rental on the Tuscan Coast.