My Tuscan food and wine journey

My venture into the Italian eating and drinking culture happened as soon as I stepped off our bullet train.  Strapped with whatever little Italian I could speak, we stumbled into Parione Trattoria around the corner from our apartment.  With a couple bottles of simple Chianti Clasico riserva, my first experience began.  Then came the fresh prosciutto, burratta (a sinister creme-filled mozzarella), and balsamic.  My traveling companions finally got their first taste of burratta and were hooked for the remainder of our trip.  The entree round came and there was lobster risotto, fresh ravioli in a Parmesan creme sauce, tagliatelle with fresh tomatoes. . . I sought a riskier approach and ordered the wild boar with polenta.  The boar was braised for hours and the polenta was so creamy it had the texture of ice cream.  From that moment on, I was convinced to eat unconventional dishes I could not get in the states.  Dessert was decadent, yet refreshing.  The tiramisu came in a martini glass. . . the creme brulee was flamed to perfection and accompanied by tart passion fruit and sweet mangoes.  The perfect balance for a dessert!!

The next day approached and an espresso was in order.  We went to the store and I was in awe at the fresh ingredients and how many aged pork legs were hanging from the rafters.  I spent at least ten minutes surveying the prosciutto, the endless amounts of cheeses, and the fresh breads.  This was our typical antipasta spread. 

Salami, provolone, prosciutto, burratta, a cheese with 50/50 of marscapone and gorgonzola, balsamic with grated Parmesan, mini Roma tomatoes tossed in olive oil and parsley, and a baguette!

A typical line up of our wines.  A 2002 Brunello, 2007 Chianti Classic Riserva, Chianti, and another 2005 Brunello.

Below is a Rosso di Montepulciano.  The little brother of the Brunellos above.

As our days were packed with typical tourist activities, it was refreshing to be able to kick back on our terrace and enjoy these wines and antipasta.  With every meal we consumed, I was amazed at all the fresh ingredients.  The markets were constantly bustling with locals and tourists alike.  One of my favorite meals was the ricotta gnoochi with tomato creme sauce.  My girlfriend's cousin and I prepared this blockbuster meal for an early dinner.  The ricotta was so fresh it barely shed any water, which is a crucial step before one combines it with the flour and parmesan.  Below is a picture of this rich masterpiece.

On Sunday, we ended up going to a private wine tasting at the below Enoteca.  Tony Sasa, the shop owner, was kind enough to indulge us into a foray of his wonderful wines.  After tasting through five incredible wines, we moved on to the aged balsamic vinegars and olive oils.  I was impressed with the versatility of the olive oils; some were kind of sweet, while others had some spice.  The balsamics were inky and viscous like nothing I have ever seen.  Not to mention, delicious! 

The evening of our wine tasting, we decided to treat the mothers to a Mother's day dinner.  We secured a table at Trattoria Gargani, which was conveniently located down the street from our apartment.  With no real expectations besides seeing a hand written menu in the window and an amazing aroma of decadence every time we walked by, we were eager to dine.  The Trattoria did not disappoint.  The wine proved to be silky and the food was simple, yet elegant.  The most interesting meal was the veal and avocado creme sauce, but I think mine was far superior.  My breaded veal was cooked to perfection and the gorgonzola creme sauce provided a savory finesse to dream about!