Tuscany - Living La Dolce Vita-”The Sweet Life” Italy is where it happens

Dez’s Hidden Florence Italy Adventure

If the stones of Florence could talk, they would speak of love affairs and murderous plots, jealousy and treacherous consequences. The narrow, bricked streets would still echo with the footsteps of the famous artists who once called Florence home, for it was here that creative masters like Michelangelo, Donatello and Brunelleschi gave birth to the Renaissance.

Thousands of visitors crowd into the medieval center of Florence each year, hoping to glimpse the work of these artisans. Yet there is much more to see in Italy’s former capital. Just across the river Arno, on the city’s left bank, lies the other side of Florence—the Oltrarno. The hidden Florence.

 With its winding streets lined with bakeries, barbershops and apartments, the Oltrarno offers a glimpse at the Florence of the past. Some streets, such as Via Toscanella, have not changed much in the last 500 years.

“The Oltrarno is off the beaten track of mass tourism and it’s my favorite.”

“The area presents Florence at it’s best: a classless society where artisans and patricians still live and work side by side.”

In order to go beyond the city’s touristy surface, it helps to step into the past. The Oltrarno first came into fashion in the 12th and 13th centuries, when noble families and wealthy merchants built family palazzi (palaces) in the area. For all that trendiness, though, it took a 15th-century murder to get the Medici, the ruling family at the time, to move into the neighborhood.

Duke Alessandro de Medici, who ruled Florence and made his home at the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in West Florence, had a known weakness for women. His jealous rivals put that to use in 1537. While the duke waited in bed for one of his secret trysts, an assassin arrived instead of a lover. The amorous duke was stabbed to death, and his 18-year-old cousin Cosimo de Medici was named leader of the city.

Unlike Alessandro, the young Cosimo was faithful to the woman he loved. His wife, Eleanor of Toledo, was beautiful, but in constant frail health. Hoping that more sun and fresh air would heal her, she convinced her husband to move into the Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno. The couple and their 11 children eventually made the palace their home, expanding and improving the grounds.

Today, Palazzo Pitti, with its sweeping approach and awesome size, is undoubtedly Florence’s most “palatial” palace. The residence, with its eight museums, is the largest museum complex in the city, and one could easily spend days there. The most unique Pitti museum is the Galleria Palatina. With its intimate feel, it houses works by Raphael and Titian as well as interesting exhibits such as the Sala di Bani, the lavish bathroom designed by Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon’s sister.

Although the move to Palazzo Pitti did improve Eleanor’s health, it meant that the duke had to commute to his offices at the Uffizi (originally built as government offices, but now home to works of Rembrandt, Raphael and others). Like his dead cousin, Duke Cosimo had enemies and he was always looking over his shoulder. Someone had already placed barbed spears in the water near his favorite diving spot, so the duke wasn’t taking any chances. He asked his court architect, Giorgio Vasari, to come up with a covert passageway into town.

Vasari designed a covered walk and a series of secret tunnels on top of the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous bridge. At the time, Ponte Vecchio was home to several hog butchers, and the smell offended the duke’s fine nose. The solution? The hog vendors were tossed out, and jewelers invited in their place. Today, the bridge remains filled with jewelry vendors and only the stones remember the hogs.

During WWII, fleeing Germans blocked access to Ponte Vecchio by bombing nearby buildings, but the bridge itself survived. With its picturesque location across the River Arno, Ponte Vecchio is the perfect place for a dreamy afternoon stroll and attracts many romantic couples.

Romance is as much a part of Florence’s Oltrarno as the stones that line its streets. Nineteenth-century English poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were no exception. Although Barrett’s father disapproved, the secret lovers spirited off to Florence, where they settled in the Oltrarno at the Casa Guidi. Their home, which is now a museum at Via Maggio n 9, contains original furnishings, love letters and an extensive collection of their books and writings.

One of the most romantic spots in Oltrarno is the scenic Boboli Gardens behind the Palazzo Pitti. With its fountains, lush greenery and lovely flower gardens, the Boboli was—and still is—an island of tranquility. The gardens’ beauty is a direct result of Duke Cosimo and his frail wife, Eleanor. The couple spent hours with the famous architect Tribolo selecting fountains, gardens and statues; they did such a good job, that the Boboli design eventually became the basis for royal gardens all over Europe.

The multitude of statues in the Boboli and the rest of Florence is no coincidence. The Florentines of the Middle Ages and Renaissance carried statuary into battle, and until the last century, many believed that spirits were imprisoned in uncarved stone. The only way to free the spirits was to sculpt the stone into statues.

Michelangelo was taught Neo-platonism—a philosophy that regards the body as a trap for souls longing to return to God. Many believe his works demonstrate this idea, with human figures longing to break free from the stone that imprisons them.

Although known for his sculpture, Michelangelo was also a poet, painter and architect whose legacy can still be seen in Oltrarno. As a teen, he spent hours in Oltrarno’s Santa Maria del Carmine’s Brancacci Chapel drawing the frescoes of Masaccio, a master of Renaissance painting. In nearby Santo Spirito (Holy Spirit) Church, a mysterious crucifix—a wooden sculpture featuring a nude Christ—was discovered in 1963. Experts debated its origins for 38 years, until July 2001 when they determined it was the work of the then 18-year-old Michelangelo. The muscular detail (the artist was allowed to study anatomy on corpses exhumed from the church cemetery) was a signature of the artist’s work.

Such treasures are not surprising in a city like Florence, where the world’s top artists once lived. The streets of the city ring with the constant footsteps of visitors from all over the world hoping to experience the work of these masters.

Remember, though, not to be afraid to leave the crowds behind to see the Florence that is off the beaten path. After viewing the artistic treasures of the central city, we will make our way to the sultry Arno River. Follow the footsteps of Duke Cosimo as he stole over the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltarno, never once imagining how the Florence of his lifetime would forever change history.

A piece of that extraordinary era can still be found in the Oltrarno, for it is here-in this quiet neighborhood of window boxes, cobblestone streets, tower houses and medieval churches—that the stones of the past are still waiting to reveal their hidden stories.

This is just a taste of what Best of Both offers on the next journey to Italy. Join Dez on her off the beaten track and her amazing hidden Florence!

Deep red Italian wines; smoky; enticing Pecorino cheese; gourmet, organic, cold pressed olive oils; unspoiled vineyards and centuries-old olive groves. The pure, delicious flavors of Tuscan peasant cooking; vegetables hand-picked from the Tuscan soil every morning, pasta hand-made, Wine tastings in ancient Italian wine cellars; the aroma of Italian breads baking in traditional stone ovens; meals enjoyed like a true Italian in authentic Tuscan trattorias, shopping for groceries in an outdoor market that is hundreds of years old. These are just some of the exclusive cultural and culinary experiences you will enjoy as a welcome guest of Best of Both Adventures.

Tuscany (Toscana) is known mainly for Chianti, while Tuscany’s wine of greatest stature is Brunello di Montalcino.

Its climate, soil and very old traditions of viticulture make Italy a natural wine growing nation. The wines are as personal as a name, as different as the colors of the rainbow and as much a part of Italian life as almost 3,000 years of tradition can make them. The Etruscans of North-Central Italy, who created one of the peninsula’s earliest civilizations, left evidence of how to make wine. The Greeks who soon after established themselves in the South gave Italy the name Enotria (the land of wine).
For centuries wine growing has been the cultivation which used most of the labor of the Italian farmers; this is still true today; a large part of the population is engaged in the vine and wine industry Tuscany wine harvesting: September and October are grape harvesting time; vino novello and ripe figs are the flavour of the period. Spring brings wild poppies galore, bearable heat and thus good walking weather, but evenings chilly enough to light a real Italian open fire - fuelled by last years olive tree offcuts.

The olive oil in tuscany:

Italian olive oils, like Italian wine, has finally captivated an American audience. Perhaps our continuing fascination with foods from Italy and the possible health benefits of including olive oil in our diet have awakened America’s taste buds. Mediterranean countries have enjoyed the rich variety of flavors, aromas and delicious tastes that olive oils impart to food for at least 6,000 years. Italians take their wines and olive oils very seriously.The world’s most flavorful and elegant olive oils are produced in Italy’s northern province of Tuscany, where Chianti Classico wines are also produced. Olive oil has become a symbol of Tuscany and is known as “liquid gold” (probably due to its price). There are many different types of olives trees, the most common being frantoio, leccino, moraiolo, and divastro. Each of these trees determines the oil’s distinct flavor. read more…

The tuscan wine

Most of the time, wine with Italian origins have a lot of things one doesn’t understand:
Vino da Tavola is the lowest quality level. Here is not meant the colour of the wine, but it is a more simple wine whose grapes can even have various origins, in order to obtain a wine with a fruity-harmonious character. This quality level corresponds the English table wine.

IGT is the abbreviation for “Indicazione Geografica Tipica” (Geographical detail), which means that the region of origin (Tuscany, Emilia Romagna etc), the type of vine (eg. Sangiovese) and the year are indicated. The IGT corresponds the vin ordinaire.

After that follows the DOC, which is the Italian abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which means Wine with controled origin. One can find this abbreviation under the name of the wine. It is a wine of a determined area with certain characteristics, which are established and controled by the DOC-Consortium. The consortium doesn’t only establish the vine types and the quantity to produce, but also the processing of the grapes until the bottling of the wine as well as the storage. Before the DOC-wine is put on the market it has to undergo chemical tests. 

DOCG is the abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, which means Wine of controled and guaranteed origin. This nomination is destinated only for a wine of a particular good quality. In order to get the DOCG nomination, the wine should have been part for at least 5 years of the DOC-wine.

The DOC and DOCG wine corresponds to the so called wine of certified origin and quality.
The DOC- and DOCG-qualification system was developed in 1963. The first wine whose place of origin was controled was the famous Tuscan white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Afterwards were following the Chianti as well as the Brunello di Montalcino, both of Tuscan origins. From the 80’s on, many types of quality wine were put on the market as normal table wines (”Vino da Tavola”), but with prices as high as those of the DOC wines. These are new created wine types for which the producer wanted to avoid the long way through the Italian authorities.

Basic laws regulating yields

Grapes used for specific wines, area restrictions for growing, viticultural practices and maximum and minimum alcohol strengths were set forward at that time. Three categories were established:

Vino da Tavola , or table wine, typically, but with some exceptions, everyday wines-simple, pleasurable and inexpensive. Ironically, this category also represents the often not-so-inexpensive “Super Tuscan” wines.

DOC wines (initials stand for Denominazione di Origine Controllata ), a translation of the French Appellation d’Origine Côntrolée. There are about 250 DOC zones, and approximately 700 Italian wines bearing this classification. However, only a small percentage of these have any commercial viability. Twenty DOCs account for close to 45% of the country’s total DOC production.

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines, first classified in 1980 with the intention of adding a quality classification to the top of the wine pyramid. The 14 DOCG wines indicate the highest quality (wines not only “controlled” but “guaranteed”). DOCG wines include such famous names as Barola, Barbaresco, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Additional wines are petitioning for DOCG classification, so the existing group of 14 will continue to grow.

Chianti is a large wine zone extending through much of Tuscany. All of the zone is DOCG status, and it is divided into seven districts. Two of these have readily-available wines on the world market: Chianti Classico (Classic refers to the defined area–not to a reserve or superior bottling) and Chianti Ruffina. In addition to their district of production, Chianti wines vary in style according to aging. Reserve wines, often aged in French oak, may be released after two or more years at the winery.

Chianti is always a very dry red wine, with very concentrated fruit character, most often made entirely from the sangiovese grape. Chianti goes well with food, and can range in style from light to full bodied with tart cherry and violet aromas and flavors. Chianti can age ten or more years in a good vintage.

The second great red wine of Tuscany is Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, from the town of the same name just south of the Chianti district. Brunello is a local term referring to the grape variety sangiovese. These wines are of superior quality and limited production. Intense, concentrated and tannic, they tend to require long aging (up to 20 years), although some producers are now making a more approachable style. Rosso di Montalcino is a less expensive, ready to drink version from either young vines or slightly inferior fruit.

Three more Tuscan wines of note include:

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG. From the town of the same names, these wines are made from basically the same grapes and same blend as Chianti, although the sangiovese clone in this district is Prugnolo Gentile. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was the first DOCG, and there are some excellent examples.

Carmignano DOCG. This is a dry red wine made from Chianti-like blends, although Cabernet Sauvignon can also be used.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. Tuscany’s best white wine, it is vinified from the grape variety of the same name. A fresh wine with an almond flavor and slightly oily texture, it is best drunk young.

What is a Super Tuscan ?

The Super Tuscan phenomenon began in the 1970’s when some producers decided to get attention by creating a new style of wine. The wines are called Super Tuscans either because they are produced outside the Chianti zone, or because their grape blends include varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc) that do not conform to the DOC requirements for Chianti, or because they are 100% Sangiovese which previously was prohibited in the Chianti area. Although the blends differ from producer to producer, what these wines do have in common is their expensive price tags. The most famous Super Tuscans, such as Sassiscaia and Solaia, can induce collectors to spend upwards of $200 a bottle in a good vintage. The wines can vary widely in style from Chianti-like to Bordeaux-like to California Cabernet-like, depending on the blend.

Minestrone di Verdure – Vegetable Soup

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• One white onion
• One red onion
• 12 oz of carrots
• 10 oz of celery
• 7 oz of cabbage
• 10 oz of beet greens and spinach
• 7 oz of fresh clean white beans
• 10 oz of potatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz of tomato paste
• One glass of red dry wine
• Fresh Italian parsley and basil
• Salt and fresh black pepper

Preparation
Clean and slice all the vegetables. In a large pot gently fry the chopped onions and garlic until golden brown. Add the red wine and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. In a bowl, dilute the tomato paste with a little hot water and then add it to the pot. Reduce heat. Add all the sliced vegetables beginning with the hard ones first (for example the potatoes). Add more hot water and then salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 hour. The soup can be more or less dense, depending on taste.

Pollo alla cacciatora – Chicken hunter style

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• 1 chicken (free range if possible)
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 oz of tomato paste
• 1 glass of red wine
• 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red hot pepper
• 1 laurel leaf
• Fresh Italian parsley & rosemary
• Salt

Preparation
Clean the chicken and chop in pieces. Put the chicken, onion and garlic into a middle size pan with parsley, rosemary and a leaf of laurel, stir the ingredients so that they do not stick to the pan. Once browned, add the wine and after 10 minutes Now add the soaked mushrooms and stir into rice mix. Add ½ tsp of freshly ground Black Pepper. Keep stirring and add a couple of pinches of Salt plus some more of the broth and continue to stir. Test Rice until it is al dente. Add more broth from bouillon and then a small pinch of peperoncino (red crushed pepper). Continue to add water from Bouillon until Rice is done. At the end, add 1 Tbs of butter and stir in along with the rest of the Bouillon Broth. Now add grated Parmesan Cheese, the chopped Parsley and another pinch of freshly ground Black Pepper and stir. It is now ready to serve.

Bucatini alla Americana – Bucatini pasta from Amatrice

Ingredients (serves 6 people)

• 18 oz of bucatini (or spaghetti)
• 10 oz of thick bacon
• 18 oz peeled tomatoes
• 10 oz of white onions
• 1 small hot red pepper
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh Italian parsley
• 4 oz grated pecorino cheese
• Salt

Preparation
In a middle size pan gently fry the chopped onion with olive oil and the diced bacon, once the onion and bacon are golden brown, add the peeled tomatoes chopped in little pieces. Add salt and the red crushed pepper. Reduce the heat and cook for about 20 minutes (if the sauce becomes thick, add a glass of hot water). Once the sauce is cooked, add the chopped parsley. In a separate large pot add about 5 qt of water. Let it boil, add some salt, and then add the bucatini or spaghetti. Cook the pasta until “al dente”. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl with the sauce and then add the grated pecorino cheese. Simmer and then serve.

Mussels Grate

Ingredients (for 6 people)

• 1 & ½ kilo (about 3.3 pounds) of mussels
• 50 grams (about 1.76 ounces) of parsley
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 200 grams (about 7 ounces) of dried bread
• 6 tablespoons of Italian olive oil (Preferably Tuscan olive oil!)
• 30 grams (about 1 ounce) of bread crumbs
• Red hot crushed pepper
• Salt

Preparation
Clean the mussels, boil them until they open up (about 3 minutes) and then drain them keeping one cup of the water. Chop in very small pieces the 4 cloves of garlic and the parsley. Soak the dried bread for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water and add some olive oil to the bread. Put half of the shells of the mussels on some baking tins. Turn on the oven to broil. Fill in the shells with the bread mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the mussels. Cover the baking tins with a little water of the mussels and then put them in the hot oven. Cook for about 15 minutes. Serve on platters with fresh sliced lemons.

Fusilli con Zucchini

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 600 grams fusilli pasta
• 5 medium sized zucchini, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (Tuscan!)
• 1 handful fresh basil, hopped
• salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Preparation
In a large frying pan, gently saute the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. After a few moments, add the zucchini. Increase temp to high, add salt to taste and cook uuntil zucchini is tender. Add about half the chopped basil, mixing well. Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil water for pasta, bring to a rolling boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook uncovered until “al dente” Drain pasta and add to the zucchini, turning heat back to medium. Stir well, coating the pasta with the zucchini sauce, add the remaining basil, some freshly ground black pepper, and a few tablespoons of the grated Parmesan. Serve while hot!