Tastes of Tuscany

 

Of course, the most important part of going on vacation is to spend quality time with your loved ones, and taking a few days to disconnect from the daily grind.  Another important aspect of travel is having the opportunity to try new foods, and not have to clean the kitchen when the meal is over!

Trattoria Chiribiri-San Gimignano
See the laundry hanging above the door?

I have to think that there is not a person alive who does not like Italian food.  Growing up in New York, I was surrounded by fantastic Italian restaurants and Italian friends, and I have been on a quest for good Italian food ever since I moved South.  Lucky for me (and my family), our trip to Italy gave us the opportunity to indulge in delicious Tuscan cuisine, and expand our gustatory horizons.

  

Tavernetta Della Signoria in Florence
Meredith is sleeping through lunch!

It is pretty easy to take kids to an Italian restaurant, because the choices of pizza and pasta are agreeable to even the pickiest eaters.  I am very grateful that my kids are not picky, and I am always impressed when they are willing to try new foods, especially when we are travelling. 

Yummy pesto!

Luckily the kids are finally to the point where we can have a pleasant, and almost relaxing meal in a restaurant.  The kids have grown accustomed to sitting in a restaurant for longer meals and can stay occupied with some pens and paper.  Having a meal in a restaurant is much more leisurely in Europe, and not at all hurried like it is in the USA.  Waiters will typically not badger you every three minutes to see if everything is okay, and will never pressure you to finish your meal so another group can sit down.   

Dinner with an amazing view!

One of the important factors is quality Italian cuisine is the use of seasonal produce and locally sourced ingredients.  In any great restaurant, the menu will change on a regular basis depending on what is in season.  Luckily, fresh pasta is always in season! 

Picnicking at the agriturismo

Since we were staying at an agriturismo, we were able to have a couple of picnic-style meals.  We visited the grocery store and  bought some salami, pecorino, strawberries, artichokes, and Tuscan-style bread.  I have always loved artichokes, and I almost shrieked with delight when I saw the bins full of long-stemmed purple artichokes for sale for only 0.39 each! 

 

Delicious (and cheap!) artichokes

 

It goes without saying that Dan and I also drank quite a bit of excellent Tuscan wine, and the kids had quite a bit of excellent Tuscan gelato!  I am partial to cannoli instead of gelato, and I had to go engage in cannoli defensive maneuvers to keep the kids from pilfering my precious cannoli!

 

This place has won the gelato World Championship

 

 



 

So, in case you are wondering, my favorite meal of the week was at our agriturismo and here is what was served:  appetizer- tomato bruschetta; primi- homemade tagliatelle pasta with baby zucchini, peas, and carrots in a creamy saffron sauce; secondi- sliced pork loin topped with a carrot and leek sauce, and roasted potatoes; and dessert was a chocolate lava cake topped with raspberries. 

 

My afternoon indulgance

 

The one dish that I had wanted to try was pasta with a ragu made with wild boar, but somehow I went the whole week without ordering this local specialty!  Apparently wild boars are everywhere in Tuscany, and Dan and the kids were lucky enough to spot some one day while walking through the vineyards at the agriturismo.  The boars were very far away, so there was no danger, and they kids came running back to tell me what they had seen.  The kids now have a game here at home where they pretend they are hunting wild boar in our house, and when Meredith 'catches' one, she pretend carries it to the fridge, and tells me we are having 'wild board' for dinner tonight.  I wish!

 



Putting a coin into the fountain of the wild boar in Florence



 

I wish that I had been able to take the cooking class offered at the agriturismo, so that I could cook these wonderful dishes at home, but unfortunately the only day it was offered was the day of our departure.  It occurred to me that maybe exposing my family to authentic Italian cooking was not such a good idea, because my pasta dishes that I make at home will pale in comparison.  I guess if I hear complaints I will just plan another trip next year so that I can learn to cook like a Tuscan!