MAPPING TUSCANY

Beer isn't like beer. Germany and Belgium are good places to find out about this. And Tuscany.  It may seem a little weird, but over the last decade the craft beer brewing movement has managed to take foot in winemaking territory and microbreweries keep springing up all through the Tuscan hills and Italy.  Most people may have downed some Nastro Azzuro or sipped a Moretti with their pizza, but the two best known Italian beers hardly ever induce long-lasting memories. No doubt, it's up to the microbreweries to prove that Italy deserves a space on the worlds' beer map.  Curious to taste the Tuscan version of artisan beer? Leave Brunello territory this weekend and make time for a stop at the neighbors in Mont enero d'Orcia to get to know the locals' take on the planet's  most widely drunk alcoholic beverage. Definitely time for a beer.  The small town at the foot of Mount Amiata has a lovely shady park with amazing views over the Val d'Orica and...

In its third year the Maremma Wine and Food Shire has changed approach and moved the fair from Braccagni into Grosseto's historic town center. Originally designed for trade, Maremma's wine and food fair is also a great place for any foodies hooked on Southern Tuscany's locally produces delicacies. Taste your way through sheep cheese from the Tuscan hills, organically produced wine, salami and prosciutto, saffron, pickled vegetables and fish egg (bottarga) from the coast.  All of it in the lay-back center of one of Tuscany's lesser known cities. Grosseto may not be able to compete with Siena, Pisa or Florence when it comes to art and culture. But the city makes up for it with a car and tourist free town center,  historic city walls, friendly inhabitants and noteworthy architectural details if you only care to look out for them.  Maoist China? A Tuscan cyclist on Grosseto's main shopping road 

With spring in full swing, first of May isn't just the start of a glorious month in Tuscany, but also a much celebrated national holiday. I've just overlooked the cooking process of this year's sagra  in Sant'Angelo Scalo (one of my favorite village fairs ), and think there's no better way to start the month than with a fork and knife in hand in this little hamlet in Montalcino's south-western corner.  This is what the village ladies have in store for you:  Tuscan village fairs? Examples of female team work  Home-made tomato sauce for everybody

It's that time of the year again. I still try to hang on to summer, but latest with Monticello's chestnut festival on the horizon I know I have to let it go. It's autumn, and it's time to grab a jacket and drive up the road to see what our neighbors in Monticello are up to.  Monticello and mount Amiata (to the left) seen from Cinigiano Once I pass the first chestnut groves on the way up, I'm at peace with the changing season. Just the idea of all those roasted chestnuts waiting for us. No need saying it, the inside of the prickly fruits are the perfect match for countless glasses of Tuscany's Montecucco wine (the DOCG of this area). And how nice that I'll have a whole winter to try myself at  making Necci   (a chestnut flour pancake) or baking   Castagnaccio  (a sweet chestnut flour cake). In the last 13 years in Tuscany, I haven't been able to get the recipe right once. 

Maremma horses inspecting the cycling path leading to the Maremma national park beach Thank you Maremma horse fair! At last an opportunity to post some of the countless photos I keep taking of the beautiful Maremma horses grazing in Southern Tuscany's national park. 

Tuesday May 1 - Workers' day in Sant'Angelo Scalo near Montalcino The month starts full speed with a festival in Montalcino. No, not Brunello tasting (again!), but  donkey races   and anything else that will make sure you and your kids spend a fun international workers' day in Tuscany .  The festival can be reached on a steam train from Siena (read my post should you be interested in this or other  festivals paired with steam train traveling ).  Saturday May 5 - Italian Folk Music at Sant'Antimo Abbey A wonderful concert in an enchanting location: the male SAT choir singers will  present their latest program of Italian folk songs at Sant'Antimo Abbey near Montalcino. A video and the detailed program can be found on our Montalcino Blog . Rather go for some trekking? This spring's  Tuscany walking festival continues with two more dates in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park :  May 1- trekking, broad beans and Pecorino cheese on the I...

Steam train adventures in Tuscany  Steam train lovers reunite... in Tuscany. The provinces of Siena and Grosseto share a train line that (sadly for the locals) has been in disuse since 1994.  Nevertheless the tracks are kept in good shape and the natural beauty surrounding the Asciano - Monte Antico line makes for a perfect scenery for the steam train adventures in spring and autumn. The TRENO NATURA (nature train)  has become a tourist attraction not just for old-style public transport lovers but also for food and nature aficionados. The train is a perfect way of transport to arrive at some of the region's best food fairs and local festivals (just the fact that you don't have to worry about all that wine running through your veins..).

I've written about Tuscany's cultural hibernation before. So it's always a relief when in spring not just the plant world but also the event scene comes back to life. April doesn't just bring moody weather but traditionally opens the festival, food and wine fair season in Southern Tuscany. And luckily, from here on things will keep going strong for the following six months.  Spring at last

The last grapes have been picked, the leaves are turning reddish - it's time to get going on those olives. And Gerard Depardieu is with you on this one. Tuscan olives waiting for their destiny If you join in the fun at the Festa dell'Olio Nuovo  in Trequanda, you may end up sharing your first Bruschetta of the season with the French actor. He is is as infatuated with Tuscany's green gold as you and me.  In fact Gerard Depardieu uses  Trequanda's fabulous extra virgin olive oil  in his very own  restaurant in Paris .  And whilst you can eat away he will have to cut out a minute on Sunday to hand out the 'Premio Giordana Carpi Oliva d'Oro' . 

I'm on a secret mission. After a sleepless night I mustered the courage to do something I'm not supposed to do. At least according to my Tuscan native. I'm going to b log about MONTICELLO's FESTA DELLA CASTAGNA (the local chestnut festival). But shhhhh, don't you dare telling my better half! If you insist in reading this blog certain things will just have to stay between you and me.  Never heard of the notorious Tuscan Campanilismo ? If you want to experience it for real come to Cinigiano. Part of the council's territory includes Monticello. A miserable and cold little village on top of an unwelcoming mountain, populated by a bunch of half-wits.  Which is my Tuscan native's description of the town, who - it goes without saying - is not from Monticello. He is from Cinigiano, pure blood. And his statement is in line with the view of the rest of the Cinigianesi - the 500 people who were fortunate enough to have been born and raised a full 10 kilometer...

After the success of this May's MAREMMA WINE SHIRE the organizers decided to start up a sister event in autumn which is dedicated to the exquisite food of the area. MAREMMA FOOD SHIRE will take place from the 24th to the 26th of September at Grosseto Fiera. The fair will be a delight for any foodie with a taste for Tuscan delicacies: local extra virgin olive oil, Tuscan saffron and Orbetello's bottarga  (the Tuscan caviar) to name but a few of the main players of the event.  Join the last September weekend's pilgrimage to the Maremma if you want to get your tooth in. MAREMMA FOOD SHIRE is on from Saturday to Monday.  WHERE: at the exposition space in Braccagni 10 min from Grosseto  WHEN: September 24 - 26 2011

Sitting on our terrace we see majestic Mount Aquilaia and Mount Amiata as a background to our neighbor's well kept vineyard. And all through summer we sit on that terrace drinking the white wine which is made from the vines we are looking at. Yes, that's rather romantic. However  the striking bit about this information is that we actually CAN afford to drink our neighbor's wine ON A DAILY BASE - which is quite something if you're aware of Tuscan wine prices! The vineyard that gets us through the summer But no, I won't tell you who our neighbor is. The thing is he doesn't produce a lot, and we'd rather not risk having to sip some Chilean or Australian white when sitting on our terrace. That would kind of spoil the view. However there are a few other Tuscans out there who keep producing affordable wines, and at times they are a as good as our neighbor's. To make sure you get to those bottles before they get emptied by somebody else - s...