Simply Delicious

- A Tuscan Treasure Chest
- A Rich Cultural Heritage

- Local Festivals
- Sites & Sounds of Tuscany

Italy's Tuscany region offers the visitor such a feast of culinary delights it really is difficult to know where to start. Food and wine is almost a religion in Tuscany, as well as the rest of Italy. And to enjoy the vast range of traditional flavours on offer you are advised to take your time and do the job thoroughly.

Eating out means encountering a wonderful variety of Italian dishes, usually divided into three courses (antipasti, primo piatto and secondo piatto) followed by dessert, coffee and the choice of a mind-boggling array of “digestive” (and usually very potent) liqueurs. If done properly the whole thing can easily last two or three hours!

You will probably notice different names for restaurants apart from ristorante, such as osteria, trattoria, agriturismo and pizzeria, but rest assured that all serve up a range of great Italian flavours to savour. Pizzerias generally open only in the evening because they use large wood ovens, but pizza can be bought by the slice from take-aways at lunchtime as well.

Seafood is excellent along the coast, while in the upland areas traditional cooking of local organic produce is very much to the fore.

Highly prized white and black truffles are found in several areas of Tuscany and form an important part of many Italian dishes, while stuffed olives (olive all’ascolana) originate from the Ascoli Piceno area.

Wine is highly prized in Tuscany and well known local labels include the red wines of Brunello di Montalcino.

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traditional Tuscany recipes
www.deliciousitaly.com