Tag: About Tuscany

Tuscan products

Chestnut flour

Tuscan products: chestnut flour of the Garfagnana
The cultivation of chestnuts in Garfagnana area, has its origins far in the past and has spread across the whole area. Chestnut flour is made from the harvested fruits. This is the sweet flour which comes from stone milling of the previuously dried chestnuts.
Historically, the drying of the chestnuts is done in a specifically designed barn called “metato”. Today those barns are built from stone or brick and are generally distributed throughout the chestnut woods, of varying size and divided halway up by a floor made of sticks of wood laid next to each other (the “canniccio”), over which the chestnuts are laid. A small flameless fire made from chestnut logs is set below, the smoke rising through the chestnuts to dry them slowly for about 40 days, leaving them ready to be shelled and ground.

The most widely used varieteies are Carpinese, Pontecosi, Mazzangaia, Pelosora, Rossola, Verdora, Nerona and Capannaccia all suitable for transformation into flour. The maximum production capacity allowed is 3,500 kg per hectare.
The DOP Chestnut flour of the Garfagnana is very fine to the touch and on the palate, the colour varying from white to dark ivory and a typical chestnut odour.

The area of production includes the municipalities of the province of Lucca – Castelnuovo Garfagnana, Pieve Fosciana, San Romano di Garfagnana, Sillano, Piazza al Serchio, Minucciano, Camporgiano, Careggine, Fosciandora, Giuncugnano, Molazzana, Vergemoli, Vagli, Villa Collemalndina, Gallicano, Borgo a Mozzano, Barga, Coreglia Antelminelli, Fabbriche di Vallico, Bagni di Lucca.
The flour is used to make a particular type of polenta, and sweets or cakes such as “castagnaccio” and “frittelle“.
During the two wars of the 20th century it was the food that allowed the local population to survive.

Italian gardens

Teatro di Verzura - Villa Reale - Lucca


The Teatro di Verzura at Villa Reale
What better month than Mayfor a visit to the sumptuous grounds of the Villa Reale at Marlia?
Here will find one of the best preserved historic gardens in Italy. The Villa itself was known to have been in the hands of the Buonvisi family as far back as the early 1500s, but it was only in 1652 when it was acquired by the Orsetti family that the gardens were first laid out and planted with various species designed to create a baroque style landscape.
The so called “Teatro di Verzura” dates from this period, going back to around 1680, from which time it has remained unchanged.
But what is a Teatro di Verzura? It is an open hair theatre, in which natural forms such as artfully placed and trimmed trees, hedges and shrubs make up the backdrop, the wings and the stage, creating the architectural structure with the decorative elements then supplied by statues, seats and columns.
The origins of these natural theatres are not clear; they are thought to have been used for simple or povere performances, poetry readings, songa and open air concerts. By the early 17th century, the art of topiary was already well developed, especially by Roman gardeners, seeking to “sculpt” trees by pruning them in reconisable forms. The box tree, they yew and the laurel lent themselves especially well to being shaped in the form of human figures, hunting scenes and animals. From these origins arose the strange architectural phenomenon of the late 1600s that we know know as the Teatro di Verzura.
The theatre at Marlia, while not unique, is certainly a rare and brilliant example of topiary, preserving the original 17th century greenery. It is more elaborate and better preserved, for example, than the one at Villa Garzoni at Collodi, or those at the Villa Gori and Villa Sergardi at Siena.
It cnsists of a stage, wings and backdrop of evergreen cypress trees, a prompt box in appropriately enough, box wood, a rostrum for the conductor, stalls for the audience with box hedges setting out the rows of seats, and series of bow-fronted opera boxes, entirely constructed from greenery.
A row of little semicircles of boxwood runs along the proscenuim arch to hide the lights used for evening performances.

Italian Churches

San Pancrazio Church in Tuscany

Pievana at San Pancrazio in Tuscany
The Church of San Pancrazio in Tuscany is a 10th century baptisimal church. It is situated in Lucca area.
It is built in stone and has a nave and no aisles; the apse and the facade are surmounted by suspended arches. Its current layout is the result of restoration work  carried out in 1855 which eliminated the additions that had been made throughout the century.

Tuscany events

Lucca Elegance Exhibition

Lucca Elegance
May the pagan month. But also the month when spring sunshine flooding into rooms can get you thinking about replacing tired fabrics or furniture. If you’re feeling the nestbuilding urge, you could do worse than spend the weekend of 14-16 may at Lucca Elegance, the art, antiques and interior design fair at the Real Collegio in the centre of Lucca.
This is the second year of Lucca Elegance which attracted over 4000,00 visitors in 2009 drawn by the chance to see and buy paintings, furniture, fabrics and jewellery from top suppliers from all over Italy.
Clearly, living in houses that are often 300 or 400 years old has its responsibilities, and modern furniture will not always seem quite right.
Lucca Elegance strives to recreate the look of the typical 17th century salotto lucchese, displayed to perfection in the spacious rooms of the Real Collegio.
Whether you’re in acquisitive mood or not, the fair is an artistic experience in itself, where you can learn much about good art and design.
For example, there will be an exhibition feauturing many of the major Italian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially those local to Tuscany.
In short, a great way to experience gracious living at its best.
Lucca Elegance will be at the Real Collegio (behind the Church of San Frediano, in the centre of Lucca) on:

Friday 14 May (3 pm – 11 pm)
Saturday 15 May (10 am – 11 pm)
Sunday 16 May (10 am – 7.30 pm)

Web-site: www.luccaelegance.it

Recipes from Tuscany

Tuscan recipe

Salted cake with fresh onions, zucchini and zucchini flowers. Camaiore style.
Camaiore is a lovely little town 24 km NW from Lu7cca on the SP1 road.
This excellent recipe is well know only in this area and is traditionally prepared at this time of year with the first harvest of local zucchini.

Ingredients (serves 6)
6 fresh onions
12 zucchini flowers
12 fresh young zucchini
2 eggs
4 tablespoonful flour
4 tablespoonful extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper

Method
Slice the onions and cook them in olive oil, add the finely chopped zucchini flowers and the zucchini cut into small cubes of roughly 1 cm.
Heat the oven to 210/220° C.
Pour the zucchini/onion mixture into a bowl, add the flour and the grated pecorino cheese, spoonful by spoonful, and the eggs one by one.
Keep stirring, and add one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and luke warm water to obtain the thickness of a soup. Pour the mixture into an oiled baking tin, spread with olive oil and cook in the oven for 30 /40 minutes, until the top of the cake is dark gold.
Serve lukewarm or room temperature either as starter or as vegetarian main course with a salad dressed with vinaigrette.