Strange Foods - As you have read many times in this blog, Italy is all about gastronomic pleasure. Italians have a long history and tradition as it relates to food that is still in full bloom today. Its not inaccurate to say that food is a passion among the people. Additionally, unlike most places in the US, Italians waste little to nothing as it relates to food product. I figured it was time to share with you some of the more unusual cuisine that we have consumed during our stay. Some we have enjoyed and others not so much.

Carciofi Cruddo (Raw artichokes) – I’ve mentioned before that I have a love for artichokes (Always have). Unfortunately in the US we only get the worst ones, which are known as “Rome” or “Globe” artichokes. The preparation in the US is about as bad as it gets, typically prepared by boiling them. In Italy there are several varieties of artichokes, with “Morellini being the cream of the crop. The most popular preparation is to eat them raw. You simply slice them thin and toss them in Olive oil. Even Anna, who was not an artichoke fan is hooked!

Cingihale (Wild boar) – Cingihale is a staple meat in Tuscany and is simply delicious. In the forested hills of Toscana, wild boars have roamed the landscape for centuries. These boar a substantial in size (As tall as four feet on all fours!) and quite mean. Cingihale is prepared in numerous ways, including as a meat pasta sauce, (One of mine and Trey’s favorites) as a stew cooked over a long period of time so the meat is very tender and cured and sliced thin as a prosciutto. Regardless of the preparation we have seldom if ever had a bad plate of wild boar!

Polpo (Octopus) - I have eaten octopus many times in my life. When I was a young boy, my grandfather of Croatian decent used to make it as a salad tossed in olive oil with parsley, tomatoes and vinegar. Here in Italy, Polpo is very popular and rightfully so. Anna has gotten hooked on the stuff, ordering it at least once a week. Contrary to popular belief, octopus if prepared correctly is not at all chewy but rather firm and very tender. We actually like it better than calamari at this point, and our family are big calamari fans. Our favorite way of eating polpo is in a warm salad tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper with diced potatoes and green beans (A very typical Ligurian dish).

Trippa (Tripe) – Not such an uncommon food if you are Mexican and nursing a hangover (The main ingredient in menudo), but trippa is not served in a soup form here. Tripe, which is a part of the stomach of the cow, is boiled for a long time and then seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil before being placed inside of a large sandwich role. It really doesn’t taste too bad (Can be a little mushy) its hard to get over the mental block of what it is. Not really our cup of tea, but the Florentines LOVE IT!

Fegato (Liver) – You don’t see liver on the menu in the US much. When I was little I was forced a few times to eat it and have never really forgiven my grandma since! Here in Toscana its literally on every menu in one way shape or form. The most common way to eat liver is in the form of a pate, which is spread on top of toasted bread. The flavor is just too strong for me, but the kids actually like it quite a bit believe it or not! Trey and Olivia often order pasta with meat sauce. Sometimes you’re not quite sure what meat will be used in preparation. There have been many times where at least a portion of the sauce is liver and the kids lap it up like no ones business!

Fiori (Flowers) – This one isn’t strange for me, because my grandma used to fry zucchini flowers all the time when I was a kid and my sister and I loved them. Here in Italy, where nothing goes to waste, you will find zucchini flowers all the time, especially at the market. In the US, I think that they just throw the flowers away when they pick the zucchini, what a shame! I have made them several times at the castle and they come out just great. You will also find them stuffed with goat or ricotta cheese and in risotto. They are a bit sweet to the taste and very tender.

Pesce Cruddo – Eight months ago, I would have never guessed that would have become such a fish fan in Florence. It’s not exactly on the sea side! I’d be even more surprised if you told me that I would love eating RAW fish in Florence! Well, this was before I had tried pesce cruddo, which is Italy’s version of sushi and it’s damn good! A simple example dish has you taking fresh raw fish (Tuna, Sea bass, Shrimp, Salmon, etc…) sliced nice and thin and seasoned with some of the best olive oil you have ever tasted and a little course salt. The result is magic! There are dozens of versions of pesce cruddo, including a tartar of tuna with celery, carrots, fennel, olive oil and course salt (One of my personal favorites) and most if not all are truly delicious. Marcella and I made a meal for Anna’s parents and they loved it. I’m glad that I have the recipes!

Finochi (Fennel) – Fennel is sold in the US and is found in salads every once and while. I have never been a fennel fan until I started to cook with Marcella. Fennel has a very distinct flavor that is very similar to black licorice. My problem with fennel has always been a texture issue, while Anna has always loved it. In Italy you will certainly find it raw in salads, but my favorite preparation by far is simply to braise the fennel in a pot with olive oil, salt and pepper for about thirty minutes with an occasional stir until its nice and tender. It has become one of my very favorite veggies and the kids and Anna love it this way too.