In Italy, there is no such thing as 'Italian
Food', rather there are local cookery traditions. When in Rome, therefore, you
will be given Roman food, whereas in Florence, you will be served local Tuscan
dishes.
Tuscany features delicious recipes for antipasti, first courses, main dishes,
vegetables and desserts. From crostini and ravioli to mixed fish stew, Tuscan
roast lamb, fried courgette flowers and dried fruit and nut cake, there are
dishes here to tempt us all. Thematic spreads on olive oil, salume, local festivals, Tuscan wine and the food
of the Florentine Renaissance, among others, bring alive the history and
traditions of what is arguably Italy's greatest cuisine.
Cacciucco, or Mixed Fish Stew from Livorno, must be the richest of all the
fish-based dishes in Tuscany. Farther inland, chicken, beef and lamb are cooked
simply by roasting, grilling, or braising with olive oil and a handful of local
herbs. The recipe for duck with orange, dating from the Renaissance, recalls
Tuscany's days of glory.
