One hot evening in August 2011 I found myself in the garden of the restaurant “Il Colombaio” in the outskirts of the beautiful Tuscan village of Casole d’Elsa.
The restaurant came highly recommended by a friend who visits the village almost every year.
The restaurant is also listed in the Michelin Red Guide and has one star.
I started with a selection of salumi from a producer in the area.
It was divine.
I particularly liked the locally produced Prosciutto di Cinta Senese, which according to “Barilla” owes its sweet, slightly gamey flavor, oily fat and aroma to the heritage Italian breed of pig called “Cinta Senese” used to make the prosciutto.
Another first dish was based on polenta, with and without cuttlefish ink, and a vegetable mousse. Very light and tasty.
My main dish choice was a tartare from the famous “chainina” cattle breed.
The meat was served almost undressed. There was a touch of olive oil,oregano, some salt crystals, and a few peppercorns. The sauces were more decorative as they were extremely subtle.
It was the first time I had tartare almost undressed. And it was worth it. The meat was juicy and sweet, after the first couple of bites I made subconsciously the switch from main dish to desert. What an experience!
Other main dishes were pork roast and pigeon breast, caramelized in a wine sauce.
The wine was a Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico 2001, priced extremely reasonably. The same comment applies to the whole of the wine list, which is a steal. Some of the best Tuscan wines, offered at prices that amaze me. Let alone that you cannot find them in the wine shop.
Overall, “Il Colombaio” is a restaurant I enjoyed and want to visit again. Both for its food, but also because of its wine list.
It is a city that does not knock you out on first sight, but instead grows on you.
The river Arno is the blessing and the curse of the city. It has flooded the city many times, and in some of the floods has killed people and destroyed invaluable art treasures.
Galleria Uffizzi, an art lover’s dream.
Around the corner…
Standing there for centuries
witness to the rise and fall of the Medici
Wandering around the streets you can see the emblem of the city
and have dinner in Enoteca Pincchiori, one of the gastronomic landmarks of the city, straight across the street from Michelangelo house.
Buonanote Firenze e grazie!!!
The medieval center is floating on the early morning mist.
And when you go hungry, Bassomondo is a family run osteria where you can forget the toils of life and enjoy the good side of it!
Moving on to the medieval town of Pienza, a relatively unknown jewel a few kilometers away from Montalcino.
The square of Pienza takes you back to the medieval times. You can easily forget time and abandon yourself to the miraculous effect of the beautifully preserved surroundings.
The whole town is a brilliant example of what you can do when you respect your past and create a product for international tourism that sells quality and respect for civilization. And in case you get hungry, you do not need to go far, the Enoteca of “Marusco e Maria” will take care of you.
And the railway station to take you away.
After a couple of kilometers I arrived at a beautiful spot on top of a hill.
It was an old residence, and had the name “Castello Vicchiomaggio”.
I went to the dining area, where a few people where finishing their meal.
The last guests left, and I had this huge area for myself.
A wonderful fresh salad, was accompanied by prosciuto, salumi and pecorino.
The wine was produced by the owner of the castello, John Matta, and it was fantastic for lunch.
The waiter finished his work and came to play the piano in the dining area. He started with some light tunes I did not know, We started talking and the discussion came to opera. All of a sudden, he played “Nessun Dorma”, the famous aria of Puccini’s Turandot. He smiled and thanked me for listening.
Dario is one of the most celebrated butchers in Tuscany, Italy and the world. He is a gentle, polite (in the true meaning of the word) and sofisticated man who obliges you with his nobility.
The display of the shop is partial in the sense that it cannot hold all the goods that Dario can supply you with. But from this photo and the next you can get a pretty good idea of what is at store. On Saturday morning I spoke with a couple from Salzburg, Austria, who were doing their shopping on their way home. I was doing the same!
Dario was kind enou to cut a generous slice of the delicious rolled panceta and pack it for me to have a nice snack on the way back home.
But the real hero of the visit was the Bisteca Fiorentina that Dario proudly holds and which is now resting in my fridge, waiting for the magic time to grill it. There is no other meat like this, believe me! I will prove it to you in my next post, but until then you have to wait.
Kim here is proudly displaying one of my watercolour pictures of Symi, that I brought to Dario and her as a sign of friendship and appreciation.
Lucky those of you who will enter this door!