Before the intense Tuscan summer sun kicked in, we made for the shady side streets of Florence, the region’s capital, for a tour with a difference. We were joining Taste Florence, and our guide Carine, to eat our way around the city and the many flavours it has to offer.
Our meeting point was La Norcineria, a small butchery and deli not far from the train station. It was here that we met our host Carine, a passionate foodie and Florence local who is also a lecturer on Italian food culture and history at the American universities in the city.
La Norcineria is owned and run by three brothers and their wives, all in their 60s. The tiled walls and legs of prosciutto and salamis hanging from the ceiling made for the perfect backdrop to begin immersing ourselves into Florence’s foodie world.
Our first tasty treats were two different prosciutti: one from Parma (a DOCG protected regional product – like Chianti, Stilton or Champagne) and another from Tuscany. The Tuscan variety had a much more peppery note to it as there are less restrictions about the preparation and ageing of the ham. We dashed back here later in the tour to pick up some more of the delicious charcuterie to share with our family when we returned to the villa.
Our next stop was just around the corner at a local bakery called Forno Bruschi. We had soft and light coccoli filled with fresh mozzarella and tomato, followed by schiacciata (Tuscan focaccia) al olio filled with sausage meat from La Norcineria. Small independent businesses supporting each other to create delicious sandwiches!
On to the Mercato Centrale, a beautiful hub of deliciousness from the 19th century designed by the same architect that created the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. It was also time to rest our legs and sit at our third stop of the Taste Florence tour and enjoy some succulent slow cooked beef brisket rolls (bollito di manzo) at Da Nerbone with a chimmichuri-esque salsa. Definitely one of the highlights of the tour with that spice kick and juicy deliciousness.
Throughout the tour Carine gave us tips and pointers about the rules of Italian eating and drinking. Everything from the precise timings of meals (don’t even try to have a late lunch), to what coffee to drink and when (no milk after midday).
Stop four was also in the market at Pasta Fresca, and featured some fresh ravioli containing ricotta in various pairings – one simply with lemon, another with spinach and the last with truffles. Perched along the sides of the walkway between market stands, we could watch the fresh pasta being made and cut into the various shapes.
Then it was time to leave the market and head outside for something a bit sweeter. Time for a sugar-topped pastry filled with custard (sfoglia alla crema) while learning about the Italian approach to breakfast and snacking at Pasticceria Sieni.
Enoteca Alessi was our sixth stop, and it really was incredible. Shelves upon shelves of chocolates, vermouth, whisky, bitters, gin (over 40 from Italy alone!) and not to mention an entire basement of wines from all over Italy. We’d be sampling three wines from the region (a Chianti Classico, a Vermentino and a Carmignano) poured using a glass centellino (from the Italian ‘centellinare’ which means to sip) alongside a huge antipasti board. We also got to try some delicious 12-year old balsamic vinegar from Modena, which is so rich that it is typically tasted as a digestif after the meal rather than as a dressing (it can cost around £85 per bottle).
Then it was back into Florence’s winding streets for some gelato at RivaReno for our final stop of the Taste Florence tour. What could beat fresh gelato produced on site? I couldn’t decide between creamy or fruity so went for one with a gianduja-hazelnut-swirl (mmmmm), and the other as a super refreshing scoop of passionfruit.
Taste Florence was the best way to see the city (through our stomachs) and discover loads of places that we’d never normally find, and things we’d not know to order or try! Carine was a brilliant guide and we’d definitely recommend the tour to anyone visiting the area.