\nAll of these describe today’s focus region: Tuscany.<\/p>\n
![\"TuscanyCypressHill\"](\"https:\/\/selectitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/TuscanyCypressHill.jpg\")
<\/a>Located in central Italy, along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is arguably\u00a0the most famous Italian region that owes its international fame, in part, to many best-selling books and hollywood movies set place in this special location. One of them has even the name of the region in the title! (Under the Tuscan Sun<\/a>). Guess how many other regions can brag about\u00a0that? Right answer – none.<\/p>\n Tuscany has Florence, the regional capital and main\u00a0city, but it has plenty of\u00a0other popular destinations, many\u00a0of which have been designated UNESCO World’ Heritage sites, such as\u00a0Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza, the Val D’Orcia and Pisa with its Cathedral (and the adjacent\u00a0leaning bell tower).<\/p>\n Known as the cradle of the Renaissance and home of many historical influential figures for art and science – name like Galileo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante Alighieri, Botticelli, Machiavelli and many others – the Tuscan genius\u00a0has also excelled in modern times\u00a0with names like\u00a0oscar-winner Director Roberto Benigni, the musician Andrea Bocelli and fashion powerhouses like Gucci and Ferragamo.<\/p>\n Gifted with an “all-in one” geographical composition, a relatively small plot of land with a complete range of options from beautiful mountain peaks to sandy beaches, Tuscany quickly became the preferred destination for visitors\u00a0from all around the world. Today it’s on the top of lists for art & history lovers, food & wine enthusiasts, cruisers sailing the Mediterranean waters and\u00a0travelers just looking for a relaxing gateway surrounded\u00a0by nature.\u00a0In the last few decades in particular, Brits have fallen in love with the hills of the Chianti Area, between Florence and Siena, buying and moving into restored old country homes\u00a0at such a fast\u00a0pace that\u00a0the area has been dubbed\u00a0Chianti-shire<\/a>.<\/p>\n A trip to Florence is a must. Bias Alert – I was born and raised there, so it has a special place in my heart. However millions of tourists every year agree with my statement, and the long lines to get into main attractions like the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia<\/a> can be dreadful. But fear no more – smart travelers (like yourself, since you are reading this post) can choose the route of a\u00a0skip-the-line ticket, to drastically cut the waiting time, or even invest in a unique experience with a VIP entrance\u00a0to\u00a0admire masterpieces like Botticelli’s\u00a0Venus and Primavera or Michelangelo’s David. That should leave enough time for exploring Florence by foot, and breath in the history of the winding streets and old buildings.<\/p>\n Not all travelers lodge in\u00a0Florence. Many make their\u00a0headquarters, the smaller, but equally charming Siena, or dive into the full\u00a0experience by renting\u00a0a\u00a0Villa outside of the main town. It’s common for couples or families to rent proprieties or farmhouses\u00a0in the Tuscan countryside and take day trips to the major cities like Pisa with its leaning tower. Smaller medieval hill towns – Lucca, Pienza, Volterra, Cortona, San Gimignano,\u00a0Montepulciano and Montalcino\u00a0and are just as accessible, winding through picturesque vineyards.<\/p>\n From the leaning tower of Pisa to the Carrara Marble quarries and the Cathedral of Siena (not as praised as\u00a0St. Peter in Rome or Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence but absolutely amazing) there is no shortage of wonders for Architecture lovers.<\/p>\n Tuscany is a foodie mecca.<\/p>\n Travelers headed to Tuscany should not miss the opportunity to\u00a0learn to cook a Tuscan meal\u00a0in their itinerary. The regional cuisine originates from humble country kitchens and offers a wide array of simple but tasteful dishes. The most representative is probably the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a T-bone steak sourced from local\u00a0breeds of cattle, then cooked and grilled over a wood or charcoal fire. Others staples are liver pate<\/em>, wildboar meat, stellar\u00a0Tuscan cured meats,<\/em>\u00a0homemade pasta\u00a0<\/em>and hearty soups. Perhaps the most famous of all –\u00a0ribollita<\/em> a kale soup literally meaning “boiled twice”. <\/em>All the above are taken to another level with sensational extra-virgin olive oil. More on this later.<\/p>\n Iconic wines come from this region. Tuscany, like Piedmont, produces world-famous wines, most of which are big imposing reds, based with typical Sangiovese grapes. Brunello di Montalcino is the most prestigious red, while Chianti is the most characteristic and commonly enjoyed outside of Italy. Vino Nobile,\u00a0Rosso di Montalcino and Rosso di Montepulciano are the other most popular local wines made from\u00a0indigenous grapes. As for whites, Vernaccia is the clear winner. And not to be missed, the\u00a0Super Tuscan, the prestigious red obtained with a blend of Sangiovese and non-native varietals like Merlot and cabernet; the category includes wines like Antinoris’ Tignanello and Sassicaia.<\/p>\n As you may already\u00a0be aware, Tuscan cuisine has a magic <\/em>ingredient – \u00a0100% Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil – that can be masterfully paired with any dish you are cooking. Use the\u00a0oil raw as a finishing touch\u00a0to best preserve the oil\u2019s distinct characteristics. But please understand, no two oils are created equal.<\/p>\n In fact, EVOOs\u00a0are usually divided in three macro-groups based on their\u00a0intensity of fruitiness, Fruttato, <\/em>in Italian,\u00a0<\/em>which is the bouquet of scents that emanates\u00a0its flavor.\u00a0<\/em>This organizes the oils into intensely fruity, medium fruity, and lightly fruity.\u00a0<\/em>Usually the intensity varies according to the origin, with\u00a0southern Italian oils being generally more\u00a0intense, while northern oils are on the lighter side. But Tuscany once again, stands out with the strongest\u00a0array of\u00a0fruttati.<\/em><\/p>\n As a rule of thumb the oil, drizzled on top of dishes just before serving, should match well with food of similar notes: the oils of\u00a0fruttato leggero <\/em>(light) are smother and delicate and pair well with similar plates like seafood and boiled\u00a0vegetables; the\u00a0fruttato medio\u00a0<\/em>(medium) are well-proportioned\u00a0and harmonious and go well with red sauces and salads; fruttato intenso<\/em> (intense) marries with hearty soups, red meat and vegetables on the grill. The\u00a0medium intensity is always a safe choice but\u00a0owning\u00a0at least each of these three intensities allows me to choose the best oil according to\u00a0my prepared meals.<\/p>\n I was ecstatic to know that Eataly<\/a> carries an excellent set with a selection of Frantoio Franci’s oils with the \u00a0three differing levels of intensity of fruitiness so I can\u00a0play and match with pairings and different dishes!<\/p>\n It doesn’t hurt that the packaging is beautiful (spoiler alert to my friends reading this post, you guys are looking at your Christmas gift!). Frantoio Franci is an award winning oil producer (Frantoio\u00a0<\/em>means oil mill in Italian) set in a small hilltop town on the slopes of the Amiata Mountains in\u00a0southern\u00a0Tuscany, overlooking the splendid valley of the River Orcia. \u00a0This oil set contains three of Franci’s best oils: a light fruit called\u00a0<\/strong>Olivastra Seggianese, a medium fruit oil called Le Trebbiane, and an intense fruit called Villa Magra.<\/p>\nWhat You Should See There<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/a>What you Should Eat There<\/h2>\n
Bring Tuscany\u00a0to Your Kitchen Table<\/h2>\n
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