The Four Seasons of Food

By the title you may think that I am referring to the World’s greatest hotel chain that takes the same name, but actually I am referring to the diversity of cuisine served in Italy that is impacted by the seasons of the year. The phrase does have an appropriate duel meaning, as Italy is most certainly the five star country of gastronomic pleasure (Sorry France you don’t hold a candle!) There are many reasons as to why the food is so unbeatable here, but one need not look much further than “freshness” for the answer. Italians take great pleasure in what they put into their belly and do so with an unwavering devotion to eating what is fresh and of the season. It took us a while to realize that you don’t buy food here like you would at Costco. Our life in America is so conditioned toward mass quantity but here it is all about quality when it comes to food. Local produce simply can not be purchased in abundance unless you want to toss much of it into the garbage can in the next couple of days. Produce is “Vine Ripened” and picked when ready to eat, giving it an amazing flavor that one rarely experiences on the palate in America, where we pick our fruits and vegetables well in advance of them being ready for consumption. Often times, we eat foods in the US that are grown in other hemispheres and or continents, where Italians simply resist the temptation to eat flavorless strawberries in December, instead opting to eat to the season and to cherish the times when things such as zucchini flowers, porcini mushrooms and asparagus are available. Its like the old saying goes “Weekends would not be special if there was not the work week!”
I have often wondered when traveling in Italy why the tomato sauce tasted so much better than at home, or why the cantaloupe melon served with my pasciutto di Parma was so sweet that it tasted like candy. The reason is that the cantaloupe was picked yesterday on a local Tuscan farm and delivered straight to a place like San Lorenzo market for consumption. This of course is why our refrigerator is so freaking small like all other Italians! You simply don’t “Stock up” on food here like we do at home. Beyond, Italians cherish the time that they spend selecting their food, roaming from one vendor to the next each morning to find the “Jewels” of today’s produce, meat and cheese selection, with tomorrow being another day, not to be considered when hunting for today’s meal ingredients. Its as if they are diamond miners looking for that precious stone.

Anna and I have adapted to this mentality and love going down to the local markets in the morning after sending the kids off to school. The education of Marcella (My cooking instructor and friend) has been invaluable in the process. One morning I met her at San Lorenzo to select the ingredients for the meal we were preparing that evening (Brasoala (Cured Beef) with fresh grated parmesan and arugala salad, followed by Lasagna Bolognese (Meat Sauce) made with home made pasta noodles, and fresh fruit crepes for desert. We stopped at no less than fifteen vendors along the way to select the various ingredients, buying the peaches from one vendor, the bananas from another and the pork sausage and fresh ground beef from yet another. “Yeah but one trip to Ralphs and I’m done” you might say? Well, let’s just say this. Mr. Trey has his own little meat lasagna rating scale (He is one of Italy’s foremost experts on the subject at this point) and he rated the final product an “11” on a scale of 1-10! The key is the ingredients. Now, if your time is “money”….well I guess that’s the price we pay!

Soon there will be no zucchini flowers on the menu (A dish that I cherish as my grandmother used to make them for my sister and I when we were kids, picked fresh from her garden), no more peaches or nectarines that ooze juice the minute you bite into them. They are being replaced by dishes such as pumpkin ravioli cooked in butter and sage, or numerous varieties of pears that taste as if they were “Sugared” on the vine. Soups will be plentiful as the weather turns cold and Italy makes several of my favorite soups such as Ribolitta (Vegetable Bread Soup), Papa A Pomodoro (Tomato bread soup) and Pasta Fagioli (Bean Soup). Risotto with fresh truffles will water our mouths when we need comfort food to help weather the elements. The arrival of spring will bring fresh asparagus and amazing artichokes (Carciofi) as well as tender green peas and fresh blood oranges from Sicily.

Now, lets address the purple elephant in the room as by now you must be asking, “How much are they going to weigh when they get home?” Well thus far, I have actually lost an inch in my pant size as has Anna! Why, because there are no preservatives and because we walk a lot! The American diet is so full of additives and a nice comfortable couch waiting upon digestive completion that that we can’t afford to eat in this manner.

By the way, are you hungry yet :>)

Café’ – Prior to our departure, Anna and I had long since boycotted the American institution that is Starbucks, opting to make our own “Café” in the morning for the past five years. I realize that this is a controversial statement for those of you who frequent the home of the triple caramel macchiato, but in our humble opinions, Starbucks is overpriced, commercialized, burnt coffee.

In Italy, coffee is referred to as “Café” or what we call in America “Espresso”. If you want a “Cup of Joe” American Style you will need to order a “Café Americano” which is espresso with hot water (Steve Silverman’s morning beverage of choice). Italians like their Cappucino as well, but only drink it in the morning. In fact a local Florentine informed us that if you want to be a dead ringer for a “Touristo” just order a cappuccino after dinner and everyone will know :>)

Café is an institution here, with approximately every fifth storefront selling it, making the phrase “There’s a Starbucks on every corner seem ridiculous”. Café is consumed all day/every day by Italians who use it as legal cocaine at times when an afternoon “Pick Me Up” is needed. Where it differs from Starbucks (Beyond sheer quality) is that you take your café standing up at a bar, knock your shot down and leave your eighty cents on the counter. If you want to sit and sip your coffee (No one does expect tourists) you can expect to pay three times more for the same beverage! There is something very special about having consistent/immediate access to a quick coffee and one of the many terrific Italian pastries throughout the day (The Italian Breakfast). These wonderful places are called Pasticceria or Bars and we frequent them for a pastry and coffee at least four to five times a week!

For those that choose to follow our lead and prepare your own at home, here are a couple of important tips:

There are three major brands of Italian espresso that are considered the best. We prefer them in this order; (1. Illy 2. La Vazza 3. Jolly)
Water (As our friend Nicola Albini says) is the main ingredient in café, so you should use only good bottled water.
Cappucino Machines are a dime a dozen. We love the one we bought here and its not expensive. The brand is Via Veneto. The mettle stove top ones made by Bialetti are also very good and dirt cheep.

In the end you will drink much better coffee and at a fraction of the price.


Restaurant Ratings – I figure that many of you will one day come to Florence or have a friend or family member who does. For this reason we will periodically add to this list of our favorite places to dine. We will include a favorite dish or two and an approximate price (Keep in mind that all prices are high with the dollar being in the toilet!) The restaurants are rated on a scale of 1-10 with ten being best:

Trattoria Garga (8) – A wonderful environment in the city center. The veal (Served five different ways) is the highlight. (30.00 to 50.00 a person)
Osteria Godo (8.5) – Local establishment outside the center near Fiesole. Amazing pasta (Tagliatelle with Cauliflower leaves is a highlight), terrific pork loin in balsamic vinegar, the best meatballs and cheesecake we have ever eaten! (20.00 to 30.00)
Trattoria Garga (8.5) – Local trattoria in Bagno A Ripoli. Highlights include the best artichokes ever, great spare ribs, the best chocolate cake we have ever eaten and Nudi made with ricotta and spinach served melted butter with fried sage leaves. (30.00 to 40.00)
Osteria Di Passignano (10) – Located at the Badia Passignano winery in Chianti. Everything on the menu was terrific including the Florentine steak which I usually don’t like! Just go there and whatever you order you will like. (50.00 to 60.00)
Le Boscarecce (10) – Located off some dirt road in Chianti (See the Simone anniversary story in this issue!) Amazing bread lasagna with Ribollitta, veal loin, grilled porcini mushroom caps and pasta with rabbit ragu. (50.00)
Alla Vecchia Betola – (7) Typical Tuscan family restaurant just outdie the city walls of Florence near Via Pisani. This is a local place we eat at a lot with communal tables and a family feel. Great Ribollitta, Fried Chicken, pasta with meat sauce. (20.00 to 25.00)
Golden View Open Bar (8) – Located just at the end of the Ponte Vecchio (Oltrano or non city side) it possesses great views of the river. Risotto with peas and carrots and pasta Bolognese are highlights. (30.00 to 40.00)
Cibreo (8) – Located near the center this place is considered one of the best places to eat in Florence. We didn’t think so but it was good, albeit pricey. Sautéed Porcini Mushroom caps with white beans and white fish Carpaccio were highlights. (80.00 to 100.00)
Il Latini (5) – This well known “Turisto” trattoria prides itself on having long lines each night in the alley that front the restaurant. Mass quantities of Ribollita, Florentine Steak, Salami and everything else you think of finding at an Italian deli back home are served up at your communal table. Well felt like we were eating at Costco! Its tough to get a bad meal in Italy and I would not go so far as to say that this was a bad one, but we wont eat there again.
Enoteca Coquainarius (7.5) – Located near the Duomo this is a local hangout that we have only had lunch at a few times. The pear and ricotta tortellini are to die for. (15.00 to 20.00)
Angels (8) – Located behind the Duomo and near the Palazzo Vecchio this is a hip trattoria that we have only eaten lunch at a couple of times. The brasola salad and the arugala salad with oranges and artichokes are highlights. (15.00 to 30.00)
Fuor d’Acqua (9.5) – The best fish we have had since we have been here. They only serve fish and it doesn’t come in fresh till 9:00 pm! Located near Porto Romana. Everything we had was terrific especially the raw tuna with celery, carrots, lemon juice and fresh pressed olive oil. (40.00 to 50.00)
Fusion (8.5) – This is one of the hot spots of Florence which is just catching on to Asian cuisine. Located near the Arno just off the end of the Ponte Vecchio in the center. The Pumpkin and ginger soup, tuna and salmon sashimi and soft shell crab salad were highlights. (40.00 to 50.00)
Filipepe (8.5) – This eclectically decorated Osteria serves “Mediterranean” cuisine and with many unique dishes on the menu. It is located “Oltrano” or on the other side of the Arno river and on the lively and hip street of Via San Nicola. The street is filled with places to eat and many of he restaurants actually place tables right down the middle of the street! The Calamari “3 Ways” is amazing as is the pork loin. (25.00 to 35.00)