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Dining Drinking in Florence
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Tuscan cuisine, and
Florentine food in particular is essentially based on simple, natural
ingredients. It hails from the traditions of peasant food and is
wholesome and tasty.
Extravirgin olive oil is held in pride of place in Florence, and it is
never missing from the Florentine table. Olive oil from Tuscany is
cold-pressed, green and pungent or 'pizzichino' (sometimes with
a slightly bitter after-taste) and is eaten within a year and a half
of harvesting the olives. Olive oil is used as a dip for foods such as
celery, artichokes and pinzimonio (a selection of fresh
vegetables). It is also used in cooking, and as a condiment for salads
and delicious bruschette (seasoned toasts). Amongst the
bruschette there is one that is king, and must be tasted to be
believed! It is made with red cabbage and beans and then seasoned with
pepe macinato (ground pepper) and Frantoio oil.
If you want to indulge in Florentine bread you should remember that in
general, bread in Tuscany does not use salt. Try schiacciata
if you want a more flavouresome bread - this is a crusty focaccia
salted and drizzled with olive oil. A typical Florentine antipasto
dish is a recipe called crostini di fegato, pieces of
Florentine bread which have been baked and dunked in soup, and then
garnished with chicken liver pat? capers and anchovies.
Another traditional Florentine speciality is the famous bistecca
alla fiorentina steak. The steak comes from chianina
stock; it is thick cut, weighs not less than 800gm and is cooked on
the grill. A Fiorentina can satisfy two people, but there are
brave man mountains who will attempt to eat one all by
themselves! Unfortunately, because of the recent beef scares, it may
be more difficult for you to get your teeth into one of Italy's most
famous steaks.
The soups and minestre are well worth trying and they are derived from
peasant traditions. The most delicious, famous Florentine soup is
ribollita , made with a mixture of bread, vegetables and a
type of red cabbage that is mainly grown in Tuscany. Ribollita derives
its curious name from the fact that the peasant women would usually
cook the soup in large quantities that would be boiled repeatedly (ribollita),
and then eaten for several days. As with many leftovers, ribollita
always tastes better the day after! Other delicious soups are pappa
con il pomodoro and minestra di farro.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a
special Florentine treat: a sponge cake, covered with icing or
sometimes filled with whipped cream (N.B. this is not to be confused
with a savoury dish called schiacciata salata all'olio ). Cantuccini
di Prato are dry almond biscuits that are dipped in Vin Santo, a
sweet, aromatic dessert wine.
These specialities can be found in the majority of Florence's
restaurants. Some of the more famous, traditional restaurants include:
Il Latini, Da Mario, Coco Lezzone and La Casalinga, there are also
many others, so don't feel dismayed if you don't get into the places
above.
If you fancy something more 'refined', or if you want to celebrate a
really special occasion, then it is worth spending that little bit
extra and going to L'Enoteca Pinchiorri, or Cibreo, you could also try
Cammillo, although you will definitely need to book in advance.
There are also many enoteche or wine bars in Florence: here you
can drop in, relax and have a glass or two of good Chianti with a
sandwich (panino). In the most elegant places e.g. l'Enoteca
de'Giraldi, and La Sosta del Rossellino, you can try delicious wines
accompanied by tasty bruschette and delicate appetizers. La Barrique
wine bar is also very popular and has an extensive wine list.
Italy is famous for its pizza and pizzerias can be found in almost
every nook and cranny of Florence. Each pizzeria makes its own pizza
and Florentine crusts tend to be thin and crispy, cooked in a wood
fuelled oven. If you prefer the 'traditional' Neapolitan pizza, it is
almost always possible to ask for a pizza with doppia pasta
(double crust), which means you'll get a softer, thicker crust.
Recent years have seen a big growth in the amount of ethnic
restaurants, ranging from the Chinese restaurants (which are the most
common) to Caribbean e.g. La Bodeguita, from Mexican (Caf?Caracol),
to Indian (Ashoka), to Japanese (Momoyama) and there are also many
other restaurants in various areas of the city, including Kasher
Ruth's, which is next to the synagogue. This restaurant sells
traditional Jewish fare at reasonable prices. Vegetarian cuisine has
also made an impression on Florence! Il Vegetariano serves wonderful
meat-free dishes and is a huge success in the city.
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