Magnificent Tuscan Food and Wine in Fifteen Photos

October 18, 2013
Europe, Food, Italy

Editor’s Note: Rules being rules and laws being laws, please note that you have to to be at least 18 years old to read the rest of this post. Ya silly I know. Its because of the alcohol….

Tuscan Food and Wine

One of the main things that I wanted to work on while in Tuscany earlier this month was my food photography skills. I find that photographing food so that it looks as wonderful as it actually is, is one of the hardest photographic skills to master.

The ten days in Tuscany organized by DaVinci Wines was not just an experience of tasting great wines, meeting producers and seeing how these amazing wines are actually made. It was a trip that circulated around some magnificant culinary experiences and so I had many opportunities for practicing my food photography skills. I am still stunned by the food that I ate during my time in Tuscany. Below are just a few examples of what our group of DaVinci Storytellers were eating (and drinking) while in Tuscany.

How can anyone say no to a glass of DaVinci Pinot Grigio while standing up on the roof of Casale di Valle photographing the beautiful Tuscan landscape?

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One evening we had a chance to make our own little homemade pizzas in a wood burning oven outside at Casale di Valle as rainstorms swirled all around us, but never quite came our way.

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This is one for a longer post but here we have organic, handmade cheese crusted in spicy peppers from the hilltop farm Cacio in Camicia Nero in Lamporecchio where I took this photo.

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Breakfast prosciutto at Casale di Valle.

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The pomegranates seemed almost as ubiquitous as the olives and grapes. Well…almost.

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Dry cured soppresata salami in Montalcino.

“Tuscan soppressata, is made up of the leftover parts of the pig. First the head is boiled for a few hours. When it is done, it is picked of meat and skin. All of the meat and skin, including the tongue, are chopped, seasoned, and then stuffed into a large casing. The cooking liquid is poured in to cover the mixture and it is then hung and the cooking liquid (high in gelatin) thickens to bind everything together. “

Delicious!

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Pouring out the Brunello for lunch

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The crostini or “little toasts” were at every meal in one form or another and I never got tired of them. Crostini are just baguette slices brushed with olive oil and lightly toasted. While many different foods end up on top this one is a mix of cherry tomatoes, basil, ground pepper, olive oil and red-wine vinegar. Never a let down.

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I found the true meaning of LOVE when I ment DaVinci’s Brunello.

(you think I’m joking)

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On September 30 we stopped at the restaurant “Adriano” in the village of Cerreto Guidi. Adriano is famous for its barely cooked and perfectly salted Florentine style steak or bistecca. Heaven. I think I made a fool of myself that meal….I must have eaten two whole cows. At least. Then I had to throw away my shirt.

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