Archive for 'Products & Specialities'

If you're considering a holiday in Tuscany, you have probably already started imagining all the delicious treats, food and drink that you are going to consume once you get there. Tuscany is a region of Italy, in particular, that is known for its cuisine and while the savoury dishes of Tuscany may be more familiar to most, it is a cuisine that also happens to be just rife with delicious typical desserts and sweets, many of which date back to the Middle Ages. If you've got a sweet tooth, it's the ideal part of Italy to visit. Just pick out the perfect luxury villa in Tuscany for you and yours and your particular needs and then grab a pen and paper because there are some sweets that you're going to need to track down when you arrive.

Autumn is harvest season which means that there are lots of delicious foods around. A particular harvest which is common across Italy is that of truffles. San Miniato in Tuscany, in fact, is 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, which is internationally celebrated and recognised. If you're serious about your food, and your truffles in particular, this is the only place to be this season. Just find luxury villa in San Miniato and head down to the market to let your palate rejoice!

If you feel like eating the best ice-cream in the world, you're going to need to find a luxury villa in San Gimignano. Located in the central Piazza della Cisterna, known all over the world and visited by a large number of celebrities is the Gelateria Dondoli or Gelateria di Piazza. The gelateria has won countless awards, invents flavour combinations that attract gourmet-lovers to the town on a regular basis and has made it World Champion on two occasions. Arguably, this is one of the best places in the entire world to try some ice-cream and, particularly in a land known for its ice-cream, this is no small claim.

A holiday in Tuscany probably conjures certain ideas and expectations such as pretty scenery, picturesque villages, culture and food and wine. In fact, few would think a holiday in Tuscany complete or satisfying without time taken to enjoy its wonderful cuisine and dining experiences. Most have prior experience with Italian food but Tuscan food, developing from peasant roots and generally comforting, wholesome and hearty, is a rather particular entity. You'll probably have plans already to enjoy some gelato, coffee, wine and cheeses but here are some specific Tuscan dishes and foods that we think you should be sure to try!

Italy is known for her wines and is particularly well-regarded for great dessert wines made all over Italy. One of the most famous of these wines is Vin Santo. Vin Santo is made in many parts of Italy, but the best comes from Tuscany. There are three recognized DOC’s in Tuscany for Vin Santo. They are Vin Santo del Chianti (created in 1997), Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (1995) and Vin Santo di Montepulciano (1996). Many sub-par versions are made elsewhere but these are the ones that you should try and taste if visiting Tuscany. Why not find a luxury villa in Tuscany and try all three on your trip?