Black Truffles in Tuscany

Dear Friends,

Winter has arrived in Tuscany and with it the fruits of this season, among which I want to particularly highlight black truffles since they are one of the products that you simply must try on a trip to Tuscany.

The Truffles are truly delicious, difficult to find and extremely expensive, this being said, owing to the little gastronomic culture that exists around the product it�s important that you have some information to be able to distinguish them.

In fact one must be careful when ordering a dish with truffles because, as is the case with mushrooms, there are many different varieties that make them more or less expensive depending on the quality and quantity available in the market.

 

We�ll start with the �Tuber aestivum Vittad.�This is the most typical type of truffle, in Italian it is known as the �Scrozone nero� or �tartufo d�estate.�  

As the Italian name indicates, it is a truffle which can also be found in the summer. The period between the 15^thof June and the 30^th of November is that during which it is usually found and it is the truffle that most restaurants will offer since it is the most abundant but also the least fragrant. It is easily distinguished from the other two varieties I�m going to talk about due to its brown colour once open.

Much better than the first and stronger in flavour is the �Tuber melanosporum Vittad" known by the Italians as "tartufo nero pregiato," �Precious� black truffle.

 This variety is found from the beginning of November up until the end of March and is one of the best black truffles out there. In fact, this truffle needs cold and dry weather to reach its peak.

 The third and final type of truffle that you can find at this time of year is the
"Tuber macrosporum Vittad," �tartufo nero liscio� or �smooth� black truffle.

 This one has a short season from the beginning of October until the end of December. It also has an excellent aroma and is perfect for giving flavour to pasta or fried eggs.

All this considered I recommend you ask what type of truffles are being served and certainly to try dishes using the second and third varieties which are much tastier.

Hopefully this information will be useful on your next trip to Tuscany!

Accommodation in Tuscany- Chianti

Dear Friends,

You will remember that I gave you two accommodation options in Bettole last week. As promised today I have something further north in Tuscany for you. Moving north we most certainly come across the wine region of Chianti. I have a good friend, Andrea, who was born and lives in this distinctive territory. He is a sommelier and has run wine shops and restaurants offering only authentic and traditional Tuscan cuisine.

Three years ago he was introduced to a very interesting couple, Nicol� and Renata, who had completed the restoration of a thousand year old monastery called Borgo San Fedele. Their vision was to create a special centre to host art and lifestyle workshops and organize tailor-made events for families and groups looking for an extraordinary place that can be totally exclusive for just their group throughout their stay. Andrea loved this philosophy and decided to become the chef of San Fedele. www.borgosanfedele.com

Every year all sorts of different groups enjoy  Nicol� and Renata�s warm welcome with their care for the personal touches which make all the difference along with home baked cakes, Andrea�s fun and creative cooking classes and delicious food.  I know they are planning a special New Year's event to which they have kindly invited me. Certain to be a real gourmet experience and an opportunity to unplug for a few days and reset one�s body, mind and spirit before plunging into the New Year with refreshed energy and vigor!

We�ll soon be continuing further north, but in the mean time.....

...ciao for now!

Routes around Tuscany (North)

Dear Friends,

Today I�m publishing a recommended route for those visiting the North of Tuscany.

 

Day 1- Lucca and Pisa. Obviously in Pisa you can�t miss the Leaning Tower and the Piazza dei Miracoli (�Square of miracles�), monuments considered to be some of the great wonders of the world. Besides the splendid Square of Miacles, Pisa does not have a huge amount to show visitors so you can easily devote a morning to Pisa and the afternoon to Lucca. Lucca is an enchanting city. I suggest a walk around the city�s great walls and a visit to the main square. 

I don�t have any particular restaurants to recommend to you in Pisa but in Lucca I know one very good one called la Bocca di San Antonio in the city centre on Via della Cervia n3.


Day 2. Vinci and Firenze

Vinciis the birthtown of the famous Leonardo da Vinci and this little town does not have a particular interest but it does have a museum where many of the Master�s works and drawings are kept.

Making the most of the nearness to Florence, in the afternoon you can go to the city and start to savour it in all it�s splendor. For dinner in Florence I highly recommend you try the restaurant Finisterrae(open the link for more info) found in Santa Croce square. It is a Mediterranean restaurant, exquisitely decorated with a delightful internal terrace. You can enjoy classic and innovative Mediterranean dishes but also excellent pizzas. 

Day 3- Florence

Florence deserves at the very least a whole day, it is a city with so many things to see but we will follow up with another article covering those sites you really cannot miss.

To eat I suggest you go to Trattoria da Mario, a true paradise for the taste buds with a menu based on Tuscan home cooking and the freshest ingredients.  

Below you will find Google Maps for the routes discussed:

Day 1- Lucca and Pisa

View Larger Map

 

Day 2- Vinci and Florence

View Larger Map

Have a good trip! As always feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts in the comments.

Tuscany in November

 I�m writing to all of you today, those planning a holiday in Tuscany and those who have never even considered the idea. I would lie to give you some information about the region that will help you to best organize a trip and assure you that this is an excellent time to come. 

The Climate in Tuscany 

Tuscany can be found in the centre north of Italy and is crossed by the mountain range called the �Appenines� with mountains that reach up to 2000m. Due to this, in November, of course varying from year to year, it can be get quite cold. 

Here are some statistics:

Average maximum temperature: 14�C 

Average m�nimum temperature: 3�C 

Average number of days with rain: 9

Average humidity: 78% 

 Tourism in Tuscany in November 

At the tourist level November is considered low season, especially in rural areas. For this reason for those who are serious about seeing the sights I can assure you that November is definitely an excellent period. Hotel prices are lower, restaurants offer better service and you�ll have much more space to move around in museums than in the summer months! 

Tuscan Gastronomy in November

Even if the days are shorter and colder at this time of the year, on the other hand, gastronomy sees its finest days in November. It�s the perfect time for game dishes (only available at this time of year) but is also the only moment to taste three typical and exquisite products: 

1. Wild Mushrooms 

2. White and Black Truffles 

3. Freshly pressed Olive Oil 

The Colours of Tuscany 

Autumn is certainly one of the prettiest seasons to appreciate the colours of Tuscany which turn from the gold and green of the summer to brown, orange and rusty reds. In any case towards the end of November the rich brown of the Tuscan earth is exposed and along with the mist that cloaks the hills in the cold morning air creates an especially magical atmosphere. 

In Conclusion: 

From my point of view, November is truly an excellent time to get to know the region of Tuscany. The gentle morning mists are spectacular and if you�re not fazed by a bit of cold and occasional rain tan you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and quiet museums at very reduced costs as well as take your time to savour the best food of the year.

Accommodation in Tuscany- Bettole

 Dear Friends, 

As I know many of you are looking for advice on finding accommodation in Tuscany, I thought today I would draw your attention to two houses in which several friends of mine have stayed during holidays in the area and been more than delighted. Both are found in the town of Bettolle.

The grounds for this choice of position is the fact that I live very near this town and so when I have friends coming to visit I like them to stay here.  In any case, Bettollle makes an excellent �base camp� for various reasons:

-         The A1 (Main Italian motorway linking Rome and Milan) passes very near the town.

-         The Florence-Perugia motorway (The main connection between Tuscany and Umbria) also passes nearby.

-          Bettolle can be found between Cortona and Montepulciano, in other words between the Valdichianaand the Valdorcia in the South of Tuscany, in my opinion the prettiest part of the region  (in fact 90% of the most famous pictures of Tuscany have been of the province of Siena)

-          Finally, Bettolle is not as touristy a town as many others in Tuscany, so those looking for a more authentic experience will find the true essence of the region here.

Now I�ve mentioned some of the advantages to this place I�ll mention a couple of the properties I know.

The first is Villa Vignacce. It�s already been mentioned before on the blog but you�ll also find many positive comments on tripadvisor as well as on other websites about Tuscany. This farmhouse (consisting of apartments), which also has a Facebookpage, is an ideal base for making day trips to all the places of interest in Tuscany as well as offering its own lovely gardens and facilities. Some friends of mine stayed in �il Granaio� apartment and absolutely adored it.

The second accommodation that I want to suggest to all those that are simply looking for a �pied-a-terre� from which to explore the region, is "Casa Daria". Ths apartment in the centre of Bertolle is a true delight, completely renovated with much care and available at excellent rates. It is ideal for couples that are looking to get to know Tuscany and don�t require a pool or garden.

I know that many of you will now ask me about other places in Tuscany and I promise that I will look into somewhere in the North of the region so that you can have two different points of reference, one in the North and one in the South.

As always I hope this information might have been of help!

Cooking Courses in Tuscany

Dear Friends,

Today I�d like to talk about cooking courses, something that more and more people are requesting during their holidays in the beautiful Tuscany.

Cooking courses are often taught from villas and farmhouses themselves where their property owners, very passionate in the culinary field, offer their guests the chance to learn how to prepare typical regional meals.  Among those dishes most normally taught are different types of fresh pasta as well as desserts and game dishes, nothing difficult to make but all which form an important part of Tuscan cusine.

As well as these �home-run� courses that normally cost between 60 and 90 euros per person per day with food included, there are other more professional courses. The most interesting that I know is that run by �La Bottega del 30! A restaurant near San Gusm� that has held a Michelin star for many years. The owner, the lovely Francesca, some 60 years old, offers interesting courses based on cooking in Tuscany. In any case this option is considerably more expensive than the previous but an altogether different experience.

So for all of you cooking lovers and foodies that like to try authentic dishes wherever you travel, a cookery course might be an interesting option to add to your holiday in Tuscany.

Pictures of Tuscany- L�Isola de Elba

Dear friends, 

 Today I�d just like to publish a few pictures of L�Isola d�Elba (Elba island), one of the islands which make up the Tuscan archipelago. Of course, seeing photographs is nothing like experiencing it for yourselves, but maybe we can tempt you to pay a visit to one of the most beautiful islands in Italy...

Have you been to L�Isola d�Elba? What did you think?

How to get around in Florence

Dear Friends,

Today�s article will hopefully be of use for everyone taking Florence as the base for their holiday in Tuscany, or for those that simply want to spend a day or two in Florence while they explore the delights of the region from a countryside location.

The first thing you should take into consideration if you travel to Florence by car is the numerous restricted traffic zones in the historic centre. Driving through one of these zones will lead directly to a fine. So be careful!

As a result, if you plan to come to Florence by car or to hire a vehicle once you have arrived, I would suggest first of all that you look for a car park outside of these restricted traffic zones and leave your car there.

Florence does not have many car parks. However, the local government has produced a website on which all the main car parks in Florence and their locations are listed- definitely worth a look. If your hotel is in the centre of the city it might have its own car park. Only after your hotel has given your car�s number plate to the local police can you drive through the restricted traffic zones

Bicycle or scooter rental are also interesting options to get to know Florence and travel around the cities and other places in the wider area. There are a huge number of companies which offer rentals. I direct you to this website for example, where you can find both motorbikes and bicycles to rent. http://www.alinarirental.com/

Public transport such as the buses are another good alternative. The company that manages them is the ATAF and fortunately has a website in English. You will find information on timetables, routes and fares here.

You can also take taxis to get around Florence. Nevertheless, due to the fact that this sector is restricted, there are relatively few taxis in the city. To find them you almost always need to go to the designated ranks or call one by phone. This is of course a rather expensive way to travel.

The last option is to get around on foot. Considering that the city centre is not very big and especially that every corner of Florence deserves to be seen, this is probably the best choice.

As always we hope that this information might be of some use for your holidays in Florence and Tuscany.

Please leave any questions, suggestions or thoughts in the comments.