Eating well is a big component of any vacation in Tuscany, no matter when you book your villa in Tuscany, but eating seasonally is the best way to ensure that everything is at its most delicious. Combining in-season products with Tuscan culinary tradition and expertise? Now, that’s a recipe for a foodie’s dream getaway!
Once you have found your vacation rental in Tuscany, you might be wondering what is in season and when so we have helped you out by putting a handy little guide together to have at hand throughout your holiday. Or, if there are foods you especially love, you might even consider booking your holiday rental in Tuscany around the time that that item is in season so that you can enjoy it at its peak tastiness… Either way, here is a calendar of the seasonal foodie gems to try during a getaway in Tuscany…
January:
- Clementines from Calabria
- Oranges from Sicily
- Local examples of cabbage, broccoli, celery, chicory, radicchio, endive, escarole, turnips, topinambur, and potatoes
February:
- In addition to the citruses common in January, Italy has persimmons and kiwis in February
- The vegetables in February are also similar but broccoli and fennel are in abundance and fennel especially features in many traditional dishes around Italy at this time of the year
- By the end of the month, you’ll also find some markets stocking some dandelion leaves, which can be eaten raw as an incredible addition to salads
- Almonds are in season in Italy at this time of the year and are spectacular in their own right but also amazing in sweets and treats
March:
- With the budding of spring, seasonal produce multiplies quickly in March.
- Apples, pears, and grapefruits join the ranks of the fruit and a whole host of vegetables are available and in season, both winter veg and spring varieties, bridging the gap.
- Among these vegetables we have broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, chicory, thistle, radish, endive, escarole, salsola soda, artichokes, celery, carrots, spinach, turnips, potatoes, garlic, onions, and shallots
- Leeks are a key ingredient at this time of the year and can be found in soups and paired with ingredients like pancetta
April:
- April sees the arrival and addition of the first strawberries of the year to the fruit line-up as well as lemons.
- Again, the range of vegetables only continues to widen with the short season of the beloved artichoke, which you’ll find in all sorts of ways on menus all over Italy while it is around
May:
- In May, we get another big-hitter when it comes to delicious Italian fruits with the arrival of the first Italian cherries of the year in some parts of the country
- When it comes to vegetables, there will be plenty to choose from but the favoured child is the asparagus, which is incredible at this time of the year
June:
- The abundance only continues as summer arrives
- Zucchini will be in season and perfect in some parts of Italy all summer but in June you can also enjoy zucchini flowers, often fried, as an ideal appetiser
- Towards the end of the month, be sure to keep an eye out for the first arrivals of Italian figs
- Watermelons, sweet melons, and apricots all begin to arrive
- From now onwards, the lemons from the Amalfi Coast and Sicily will knock your socks off with their flavour for the summer months
- Peppers and aubergines are also abundant
July:
- July is when strawberries will be on the way out but many other fruits will reach optimal sweetness and you’ll be able to sample the most remarkable apricots, peaches, plums, melons, and watermelons
- Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines will also be perfectly ripe and lots of meals will be simple and involve salads and pairing cold cuts and fruit and other no-heat menus designed for when you want to keep cool
August:
- August marks peak flavour and maturity for summer fruit and vegetables but tomatoes and aubergines, in particular, will stand out as especially impressive among all at this time of the year
- Enjoy meals like many Italians do at this time of the year: on the beach and comprised of lots of fruit
September:
- A transition month and the beginning of the autumn harvest season, September is a great time for foodies to visit as you’ll still be able to enjoy the tail-end of summer treats along with new season delights including porcini mushrooms (among other mushrooms) and the overspill of grapes being harvested for the vineyards.
October:
- October is, of course, peak pumpkin season and Italy really knows how to make use of the vegetable to the maximum. Forget pies and devour pumpkin tortellini and ravioli instead
- Roasted chestnuts will also be sold at events and markets and at stalls throughout some towns and cities from now on so be sure to nab a bag or head to the hills to stroll and pick some yourself!
November:
- November means one thing to lots of foodies in Italy- truffles. Enjoy this delicacy, maybe join a hunt, and try to attend a sagra, a local food festival dedicated to the beloved food.
December:
- Cabbage and radicchio are stunning at this time of the year in Italy and while those may not sound like very exciting ingredients to many, you won’t want to miss out on them!
- Citruses are ripening to perfection down south again at this time of the year with oranges and blood oranges being a particular treat
So, if you’re planning on a vacation in Tuscany and you’re looking to eat seasonally during your time in Italy, then this guide should come in handy for proper foodies looking to make the most of their dining time in the country.
