| A little known fact about Tuscan cuisine is that the | | | | where these grow in profusion. |
| French learned how to cook from their Tuscan | | | | The standard Italian meal is like a choreographed |
| counterparts when it was imported by Catherine de' | | | | dance, where there are certain steps, and it is best not |
| Medici into the court of Henry II. The Tuscan style of | | | | to vary from the set pattern. The first round is the |
| cooking is richly flavoured and wholesome. Here is a | | | | appetizer, known as the antipasto. The first course, or |
| guide to the Tuscan food and drink. | | | | the primo piatto, consists of either rice or pasta, and |
| The extreme simplicity of Tuscan cuisine is its | | | | the second course, secondo piatto, comprises of meat |
| strongest strength, as the flavours that emerge during | | | | and fish. A dessert or dolce is next, followed by a cup |
| the cooking process are vibrant and pure. Seasoning | | | | of espresso and a glass of grappa. |
| and sauces are used sparingly, mostly relying on | | | | Italian wines are extremely sought after worldwide, |
| staples like wine and olive oil. Tuscan olive oil is | | | | and a true connoisseur of wines will appreciate the |
| considered to be one of the best in the world, and | | | | exquisite flavours that emerge from this region. A |
| there are a number of gradients available. The | | | | favourite with food is sparkling wine, known as |
| gradients are directly pertinent to acidity, and the acidity | | | | spumante. One of the most popular is known as the |
| is gauged based upon the number of olives that are | | | | Asti. Wine is considered much a part and parcel of the |
| bruised before the pressing takes place. | | | | meal, and mostly decisions are limited to white or red. |
| Truffles also are extraordinarily popular in the Tuscan | | | | House wines are usually excellent, and only really |
| cuisine, and these elusive delicacies are all the more | | | | special occasions call for something out of the |
| coveted because of their very scarcity. Most chefs | | | | ordinary. |
| would pay exorbitant amounts to get truffles before | | | | Chianti is the quintessential Tuscan wine; it is smooth |
| the wild pigs manage to locate them. There are two | | | | and versatile, producing a universally popular flavour. |
| main kinds, black and white, and while both are rare, | | | | Another very famous variety of Tuscan wine is the |
| white truffles are near impossible to find; however | | | | Brunello di Montalcino, a heavy full-bodied wine that is |
| Tuscany is fortunate to have quite a few areas | | | | best complimented with red meat. |