Archive for 'Food and Wine'

In our last article we discussed how wine is a good reason to visit Tuscany and mentioned some of the best places to learn about, taste and fully experience wine and the culture of wine in the region.

However, we had a few more suggestions that we couldn't squeeze in so here are two more places that are a must for any wine lovers doing a tour of Tuscany.

Montepulciano is famous for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, one of three great Sangiovese DOCG zones in Tuscany. The wine was first documented in 789 AD when a cleric, Arnipert, offered the church of San Silvestre some vineyards attached to the castle of Policiano.

Wine is a good reason to visit Tuscany but, if it's of particular interest, where should you go to try it? Lucky for you, we've compiled a list of some of the best places to learn about, taste and fully experience wine and the culture of wine in Tuscany.

Castello di Ama is a famous winery located in the medieval Tuscan village of Ama in the middle of the Chianti wine region.

The setting is picturesque and the village, itself, is an incredibly charming collection of buildings largely dating to the 18^th century and is almost entirely owned by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the couple who run the winery.

La Marzocco is a factory that makes some of the best coffee machines in the whole world. It opened in 1927 and was originally located in Pian di San Bartolo in Florence but moved to Mugello a few years ago.

Since then, it has put Mugello on the map for serious coffee lovers around the world and become a place that attracts foodies from all over the globe.

If you want to learn all about this factory and the coffee machines it makes, just find a luxury villa in Barberino di Mugello and take a guided tour of the factory during your visit.

In 1939 Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi, the founders of the company, developed and patented the first coffee machine with a horizontal boiler, that is now a standard and, today, these innovators and La Marzocco are synonymous with coffee machines that are 100% Italian made, made by highly skilled contemporary artisans and which are super specialized in making the best possible Italian espresso.

In our final installment in this series, we will recount just a couple more of the Tuscan dishes that you should keep an eye out for if you are visiting the area over the Christmas or winter period this year.

We have discussed plenty of sweet treats and savory delights but there is one delicacy that is king in Tuscany and is imported out of the region to every corner of the globe: truffles.

San Miniato in Tuscany is, in fact, one of the most productive truffle-rich areas of Europe and the white truffle that grows in the San Miniato hills is the most valuable variety.

The truffle has greatly impacted local cuisine and is so important to local identity that the town hosts an annual market, the San Miniato National White Truffle Market, during the last three weeks of November, which is internationally celebrated and recognised.

Tuscany, like any other country where Christmas is widely celebrated, has many different traditions to do with the holiday and is an important event that brings families together. Of course, if it's an Italian celebration of a holiday, food is going to be an important part of said celebrations.

For example, Arista alla Fiorentina is a pork-based dish originating from Florence that is a delicious alternative to turkey and a sure crowd-pleaser. “Arista” comes from the Greek word “aristos”, meaning "best" and, according to legend, it can be traced back to the 15th century, when Greek clergymen visiting Florence in 1430 for an Ecumenical Council were served the Tuscan-style roast pork and found it to be "aristos". It has been called this ever since then. Just find a luxury villa in Florence and try this delicious dish for yourself.