Archive for 'Products & Specialities'

Sitting atop three hillsides that dominate their section of the Arno river valley, San Miniato has resided for hundreds of years. Recorded history dates back to the time of Etruscans and the Romans, but archaeological evidence shows that a settlement of some type has existed on this spot since the Paleolithic era.

The city today lies in the province of Pisa and has roughly 27,000 people in it. On first inspection, San Miniato may not appear to be anything out of the ordinary for Tuscany. Look closer, and a bit lower and you just might find something though...

San Miniato is known for not something that grows above ground, such as the olives and grapes that are so iconic for the region. Instead, this small town produces 25% of Italy's white truffles, prized by chefs and gourmands everywhere. Known as the Tuber Magnatum Pico, or the Food of the Kings, it grows only centimeters below the ground and can be found in a very limited area. As many things in Italy, strict laws govern how the truffles can be gathered and sold. It was here in San Miniato that the largest white truffle on record was found. It was presented as a gift to a visiting Harry Truman just after the end of his presidency in 1954.

As the days been to grow shorter and the evenings get cooler, you can be sure that Autumn is here. The vendemmia begins as the grapes are finally ready for the picking and the wine makers start their almost magical craft. Travelers who visit Tuscany in Autumn can typically expect several things...

First of all, the weather is ideal. The heat from the summer is fading while the cool of the winter is creeping in, leaving visitors with a wholly pleasant mix of the two. Many days will see highs in the 70°F's and lows at night in the mid 50°F's and 60°F's.


Cool breezes through the hills will keep you comfortable while the grape harvest continues, as many Tuscany villas that produce wine will often allow or even encourage visitors to help if they want. You won't be able to enjoy the wine you help with that day, but there is sure to be plenty of it in the dinners after the harvest from previous seasons.

Tuscany is well known for its many small towns and the rolling hills and valleys that make it such a beautiful region. Autumns arrival brings a change to these trees and hillsides that only serve to make them even more of an attraction. What better time to see the many trees, forests, and groves than when the leaves are changing and beginning to paint the ground with their natural palette of reds, golds, and yellows?

Balsamic vinegar is one of those culinary items that can take a simple recipe to a memorable one. Its complex flavors lends itself well to both sweet and savory dishes, or even just soaked into some bread. Originally created in Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy just north of Tuscany, in the middle ages and has been enjoyed by Italians ever since. It has only become popular in America in the past twenty years and its a sad state of affairs that it has taken that long.
Balsamic vinegar is considered a wine vinegar, like its less popular cousin red wine vinegar, but is not actually made from wine. It is made by the pressings of grape skins that have not been allowed to ferment, unlike grappa.

The grape skins are pressed, heated and boiled down into a thick dark syrup with very specific regulations controlled by the its DOC status. If you are looking for a quality balsamic vinegar, you need to ensure that it has this DOC label on it. Without it, it is not proper balsamic vinegar but just an imitation.

After our recent article about espresso, it occurred to me that the espresso pot found in many vacations rentals can cause anxiety for those unfamiliar with its use. People familiar with the on button an automatic drip coffee maker might see this as more of a rubik's cube than a coffee pot. Those who already know may be able to add some more insight to the comments, but do not be alarmed: it is much easier than it appears. The first time I used one of these, I filled the top with water and ended up with little more than a mess and very foul tasting water.

Anyone traveling to Italy will be quick to realize that Italians take their coffee seriously. In the morning in the busier cities, most customers will be in and out of the coffee bars in under five minutes and on their way to work. The brown elixir seems to run in the veins of the population. Espresso is served throughout Italy with little variation on the standard drinks; there may not be cookie-cutter Starbucks dotting the landscape, but a Cappuccino is a Cappuccino anywhere you will go in Italy.

Like much of Italian cuisine the focus of espresso is on quality ingredients and techniques, not lots of extras or heavy syrups to cover the natural flavors. In the same way a Barista in Italy is not some high school kid double checking a chart to see how to make what you ordered, but a craftsman and artist rolled into one.