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My florentine sister in law.. ONLY makes stracotto, cooked in a meat ragu, then serves the sauce for the pasta... and the stracotto sliced with the meat sauce on top. We only get it on holidays!

again.. not classic.. todays lunch I cleaned the fridge.. Soffrito of carrot, red onion and celery sauteed in olive oil, with a touch of garlic and a pinch of chili pepper. Hand chopped pieces from my cleaning a whole beef filet, and some minced pieces of spalla from an artisan butcher in Greve. Canned tomatoes, salt, cover and let cook. Thinned with some pasta water towards the end.. and then I tossed in the cooked Tortiglione ( a new pasta with ridges also on the inside... and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Buona Domenica!

I only mentioned the article...not that it was a bible. I think that Italians also want new ideas.. and that was what this author wrote.( Paola Volpari) was just following up on ideas for ragu... for sure there is nothing classic here....

I have had a fabulous sausage saffron ragu, with the egg and cheese finish as mentioned in the Sardegna ragu.. really nice.. a sort of aromatic carbonara

here are my notes on THEIR ragu's.. I did not go through my reference books to check on the authenticity, As is mentioned above, every region has their ragu and within the regions as many variations as there are mamma's! Ragu variations as per Sale e Pepe November 2005 Sicily Beef cut by hand ( ca carni capuliata) Onion, celery with leaves. Red wine. Canned tomatoes Parsley, basil Cheese: Aged Pecorino Pasta: torchietti Umbria Rabbit bone in.. cut into pieces Carrot, onion , celery and garlic. Canned tomatoes Broth Remove rabbit, remove bones and chop meat. Cheese: Pecorino and pepper Pasta: Lasagnette Sardegna Sausage Onion Canned tomatoes Saffron Basil Cheese: Pecorino Pasta: Riccioli Fruili Pork shoulder, ground Butter Cinnamon, cloves Water Finishing: ricotta affumicata, beaten eggs, pepper Pasta: Campanelle Naples Lamb shoulder Pancetta Garlic White wine Chili pepper Water Finishing: remove lamb and bone it. Cheese : Grana Padovana Pasta: Spaghetti alla Chittara

Osteria di Giovanni via del moro 18 Website Giovanni Latini of I Latini, left I latini years ago and opend a hotel and restaurant near Certaldo. 1 1/2 years ago he and his family, took over the old Osteria No 1 on via del moro. Here the guest is king! and you will eat like one. Traditional Tuscan food at it's best! They also participate in the Buon Ricordo Plate's and the dish there is a :Lobster Tortelloni (5 of them) with half a lobster..! reservations a must as this is also popular with Florentines, and much more realxing than eating at I latini which is great for a one time experience., but too Fellini like for locals.

Kevin, one of our Italian monthly mags just had an article on Ragu's. I will read through and let you know what Italians think!

I will go to my Senape dealer... and get you the Italian details on how it is made. When I buy it here ( forgive me for simplifying!) it is called Essenza di Senape. In FLorence I buy it at Bizarri ( listed on my site) and you should never really have anyone sniff it!!!! it is so potent. When they work with it they hold it as far away from their noses and eyes that they can! the word Senape does translate to mustard.. but there are many kinds of mustards, from the french styles where the seeds are first cooked in wine, then crushed and the Italian where the essence is added to whole fruits, fruit purees and sometimes a fruit and nut pureeas well as the quice paste. I will go and do a little foto documentary and blog about it next week. The amount of Senape varies in doses..I prefer a kick in mine! they also sell Cotognata senepata, which is a quince paste with the senape in it too! At the holidays they do the veggies which look like jewels!

I am going up this weekend too.. but as mentioned before.. we all have different tastes and expectations.

I read somewhere that Italians spend more on food.. than anything else in their daily life. It is IMPORTANT. Not ambience.. FOOD. It must be as good as you get from Mamma at home. I Latini got carried away with Americans throwing cash at him, and now Giovanni Latini has his own place Osteria da Giovanni, just around the corner from I Latini on via del Moro, that bring back the experience you are talking about at Da Cinotto, a pride in what they do, and professionalism. The owner ( I forget his name) began as a waiter at a hotel near by and has probably been doing what he does since he was 14~ he reminded me of Vittori Gassman, the Actor. He was at as ease in English as his Italian, making little jokes and keeping our group of 10 happy as well, pacing the meal perfectly although we didn't have the normal Italian full course meal. The food was simple, and fabulous..as you say, made for Italians! Many places in cities now are surviving on Tourism as the Italians themselves are having a harder time going out to dine, with the Euro... prices have doubles, cost of living increases have limited many to working man's lunch out an an occasional Sunday Extravaganza. When you have the best ingredients, there is little to do, but show it off, not cover it up! knowing where to stop is an art! Yesterday I took my Tuscan Fall Treasures group to Panzano for our final meal. Oltre il Giardino is in a small converted house in the village. It is run by Paolo, the president of the bartenders association of Florence. So we also got to start with cocktails! Which is not Italian, but relaxing as we were dining on the terrace in the sun overlooking the Fontodi winery. Simple crostini , fried polenta with porcini stewed in EVO with garlic,salt and wild mint, a bruschetta and fettunta.. had my group in paradise! Then simply grilled tiny lambchops, twice cooked spinach with garlic and oil, roasted potatoes..and a fabulous Marchesi Pinot Nero!!! People always ask if I get homesick! what's to miss?

the colr coding on the outside of pecorino's isn't where it is from, but for the aging. Some has tomato paste, some ashes, then we get into the more flavoring techniques, such as Chestnut leaves, leftovers from winemaking,burying them in ashes, or in caves ..... I can buy a 2 day old pecorino that make me cry! i is made on Tuesday and sold on Thursday, in the spring, called Marzolino. Pork shoulder works well for the Wild boar recipes. also I would sugges Acqua cotta, or other recipes from Maremma, where the Butteri are. Tuscan cowboys..home on the range! I had some INCREDIBLE chili rosemary aged beef that they carry around to snack on that I want to learn.. tuscan Beef Jerkey.. in cubes!

Most panforte is without chocolate! I have a fabulous book by Giovanni Righi Parenti where I will look up the history. the DROGHE is one of most fabulous blends I buy, a really rich sort of pumpkin pie spice.. or rather what pumpkin pie spice SHOULD be! there is Spezie Regina and Droghe, which were sold by Farmacy's ( Parenti's family is one of these) They are also used in Meat sauces and sausage making, gives an incredible flavor! which is also what was used in savory dishes with wine, before tomatoes came into cooking too!

Tweeking!!!! 2 kg of fruit 1 kg SUGAR! oops

in Florence we also have white truffles, right now going for 200 an etto or 2,000 a kilo. The white truffle festivals are in San Miniato , on the way to Pisa the 2,3 an 4th weekends and San Giovanni D'asso ( near Siena) hte 12,13 19 and 20th.

I like Vini da Gigio, don;t see one of my small favorites Ai Testieri on your list. Fiaschetteria Toscana is a Piatto do Buon Ricordo plate restaurant.. and you need to eat Fried Calamari and Shrimp to get it.. sounds tough! The dish is called Serenissima on the menu. I will be going to Venice next month and look around for you!

Looking good! Sorry I haven't been here to contribute.. but it is high season here and I am cooking like crazy! a few things... here is my panforte or panpepato recipehere I only heat the honey and sugar together and I find that boiling them too much make them hard! I like to use just almonds.. here we have access to candied Melon, Pumpkin, orange rind....that makes it fabulous, but I think that other dried fruits are nice too, but not raisins, would like figs, pears apricots.. there are other regiona desserts .. with just figs and walnuts that are nice too! As for the Panzanella, I also soak in water.. prefer it! Vinegar should blend in..and not drown out the flavors! Tuscans aren't into huge Antipasti, crostini are always part, chicken liver of course, sausage and cheese as ADam mentioned, prefered RAW!!! but also good broiled. salami.. salami.. salami!!! wild boar, finocchiona, tuscan with pepper and large pieces of fat.. or yes ...LARD! Need some homework? Fried polenta crostini with wild boar sauce.. minestrone Crespelle alla Fiorentina Ravioli Nudi ( on my site)with walnut pesto Peposo ( on my site) a beef pepper stew Biscotti di Prato ( for Adam) White truffles are in season now! check it out on my blog! Judy

Just got back from conducting a chocolate tour for professionals.. can second Da Cinotto. We were sent there for lunch during out break with our class with Paul DeBont. The White Truffle festival closest to you is in San Miniato and is the Second, third and last weekend in November. Sunday after lunch is a ZOO.. you cna't even walk the streets!

black truffles everywhere in FLorence!!! Of course they come from Umbria! Has been wet here too. But the sun came out and this week PORCINI GALORE>. bought some huge ones that came from Calabria. Funny I was in Calabria at the peperoncino festival last week!

Thanks for the notes Hathor... from what I have read, it seemed tob e very expensive and theory based, not what most people are looking for, but getting tons of money dumped into it. I always suggest the program you and Ore did as I think food is what it is all about. As this level of culinary program is new here.. I think they went overboard! OR perhaps hope that people will send them tons of money and THEN figure out they don;t cook!

I live in Italy and buy my farro from the garfagnano region where it has recieved a IGP classification.. PROTECTED foods... I parboil mine is salted water for about 15 minutes, just until they start to explode. I can then throw them into a soup or make a salad. There is a great recipe on my site for Cicchi, an umbrian recipe with garbonzo beans and black truffles.. Try it you'll LOVE it!

yes, that is my jelly.. first called Judy's Jelly, then Cotognata Cecchini and now Mostarda meditteranea.. I created it when I worked with DArio years ago.. I am returning to collaborate with Dario on a new project soon! I can buy mostarda so don;t make it. but here is a classic recipe. 2 kg fruit ( apricots, whole or cut in half, pitted: peaches halved and pitted. pears halved, mandarin oranges, pineapple, figs.) 1 kg fruit mustard essence( I buy it in the farmacy here or at Bizzari in FLorence, laddress on my site) Wash the fruit and let dry. LAyer the fruit with sugar in a stainless steel pot or bowl and let sit 24 hours. Over medium heat, bring to a boil and let cook for 5 minutes. turn off and let sit over night. Repeat for a total of three times. Add at least 6 drops of essence ( I like 10)

Sorry but my non traditional recipe is being produced by DArio Cecchini, I worked for him and he has the rights to my recipe. The applesauce version, I can get for you, may be quince, and with the mostarda essence added at the end. will get back to you!

My mostarda is not traditional Italian recipe..... For the Italian one you do need Mustard Essence, which I was told was against the law in america( although available at indian stores as mentioned above) I think it says it is not for consumption.. The traditional mostarda, is candied fruits with a spicy sugar syrup, I would think impossible to make at home. But most families, make more of a sort of applesauce version, cooking fruit and then adding 10 drops of mustard essence per kilo o fruit. I like mine spicier! In Florence you can buy the essence at Bizzari, listed ion my guide online. as well as truffle essence and porcini too! I am sure it is easy to get the Mostarda online! Cremona is the city.... ( stradavarius) where the whole fruit mostarda is famous.

San Eustachio's secret is sugar!!! I remember getting the same effect in Greece, they would give you your pot of coffee, then you would put our sugar in the cup, with just a couple of drops of coffee and whisk the hell out of it creating this fabulous sweet creaminess. The when you slowly poured the rest of the coffee in.. magic! looked like the BEST expresso.. they also did this with Nescafe..enough sugar makes anything better! I adore the granita at Tazza d'oro too, and like the intrique at San Eustachio.. ( you can't see what they are doing, they keep their backs to you) and speak up of you want it without sugar! next time I will order it without and see if it still has the CREAM...

Judith's in Italy Unite!!! Kevin, I am going to go to the Peperoncino Festival in Diamante , Calabria September 10th!!! since I invented the Mostarda Mediterranean, that Dario Cecchini sells... when I worked there, and also several other piccante items!!! I love the heat.. October 2 for anyone in the area is Panzano Piccante... Dario has jus given space to 160 varieties of chili's from a researcher from the University of Pisa..