Trattoria Icche C'e C'e

If you are looking for a great place to eat in Florence, check out Trattoria Icche C'e C'e. This quaint trattoria is located on an isolated alley between Piazza Santa Croce and Piazza della Signoria. We arrived early and looked inside to see the owner Gino and his family enjoying a meal before opening. We were soon joined in our wait with a mother and daughter traveling together from Arkansas. It was good to hear another southern accent.

Gino's menu is full of classic Italian dishes. We started with Pappa al Pomodoro and Ribolitta. Both were full-flavored and thick with bread. For entrees included Veal and Artichokes, Grilled Porkchops and Chicken with Lemon Sauce with the pork chops my favorite. Limoncello completed the meal.

As we were finishing our meal, the couple sitting at the next table asked where we were from. As we talked, we soon discovered we had common friends in Newnan. It was another of those "small world" moments.

Caffe Riviore

Tonight after dinner we went on a chocolate hunt. Our destination was Caffe Riviore in the Piazza della Signoria. This upscale cafe is beautifully decorated with pink tablecloths and walls of beautiful art. And there is plenty of art in the displays of chocolate as well. This is a chocoholics dream. Nan and Edwin opted for some chocolates, served on napkins on white plates. Kenny and I went for the Cioccolata Calda, a thick, dark, not too sweet hot chocolate drink topped with whip cream. We made the big mistake of sitting down and paid the price - $24 euros for the drink! You see, the price you pay increases drastically if you sit at a table. Next time we will be standing at the bar enjoying this decadent treat!

Exploring Florence

Today we have nothing planned except to walk the streets and explore Florence. The streets are full of locals and tourists enjoying this wonderful fall day. At the Duomo, a military band is performing. They are dressed in uniforms with feathered hats. Their music fills the piazza.

It is Sunday morning and the Duomo is closed until 13:30. San Lorenzo Market is just around the corner and it is a perfect place to shop. This is the major shopping area, full of sidewalk vendors selling leather, scarves, toys and gifts. After shopping, we grab a pizza at an outdoor cafe before walking to the Duomo.

The line at the Duomo is relatively short. The exterior of the Cathedral is ornate and massive. As we enter the cathedral, you are first hit by the enormity. It is hard to comprehend how this building was erected without our modern day machinery. We light candles for loved ones while standing in line for what we thought was the Duomo Museum. The line moves quickly and we soon realized we were waiting to enter the gift shop. As we exit, a guard informs us that the museum is closed and will reopen on Monday. I am disappointed that we will not be able to visit the Duomo Museum, home to one of Michelangelo's last sculpture, the Florentine Pietà. This will be at the top of my list on our next visit.

After the Duomo, we take the City Sightseeing bus and make the loop around Florence. Views from the south bank high atop the hill, overlooking Florence are breathtaking. For those of you planning a visit, this is a great way to see the city but is very expensive, 20 Euros for a 24-hour pass.

Lunch at Il Castagnolino

The Saffron Crocus

During our tour of Tuscany, Rebecca arranged for us to have lunch at Il Castagnolino, a working farm and B&B about 2 km from San Gimignano. Carmela Cristiano was our hostess and she gave us a tour of her small farm. Il Castagnolino produces saffron and olive oil and she was harvesting the saffron when we arrived. I had no idea that saffron grew in Italy. The blossoms from the crocus plant are picked in late October and early November. The stamen are carefully removed from the flower and allowed to dry. Carmela and her friend, Alessandra, treated us to a Tuscan lunch seasoned with saffron and fresh pressed olive oil from the farm. This is exactly the kind of experiences I wanted while in Italy - to be see how Italians garden, cook and eat. Thanks Rebecca for making this happen!

Antipasti
Broccoli Souffle
Aubergine and Veggies
Cheese-filled Crepe
Fresh Carrots, Celery and Fennel
Freshly Pressed Olive Oil

Primi Piatti
Fresh Pasta with a Saffron Cheese Sauce

Dolci

Saffron Cookies and Ice Cream

il Pizzaiuolo

It is Saturday night and the streets of Florence are crowded with locals looking for a place to eat. A block from our apartment we find an osteria with a pizza oven and an interesting menu. Il Pizzaiuolo at Via de' Macci 113/r is known for its Neapolitan-style pizza. The pizza was delicious. The fresh mozzarella is complimented with proscuitto, tomatoes, olives and basil and has a wonderful smoked flavor. Now we know where to eat good Italian pizza in Florence!

A Day in Tuscany

Today is All Saints Day in Italy and many of the businesses are closed. Thanks to Rebecca, our guide for the day, we are traveling through Tuscany. We leave Florence and head south to the Superstrada, a non-toll highway, similar to our interstate highways, minus the emergency lane. When we exit the Superstrada, we head for the mountains and the beautiful countryside. The roads are winding and Rebecca blows her horn as she enters the tight curves, just to let oncoming traffic know we have the right away since there is no room for two cars. Rebecca is a master at the wheel, a true Italian!

Rebecca has arranged for us to tour the winery at Villa Caffaggio in Panzano in the Conca d'Oro. the Chianti Classico region. Villa Caffaggio grows two types of grapes, approximately 85% of which are Sangiovese and the remaining 15% are Cabernet Sauvignon. Villa Caffaggio produces Chianti Classico and Super Tuscan wines. We were treated to 4 wines, 2 Chianti Classicos and 2 Super Tuscan. The overwhelming favorite was the San Martino.
This is olive harvesting time in Tuscany. The hills are full of olive trees and as we rounded a curve, we noticed several men along the roadside picking olives. The men we kind enough to show me their technique and try my hand at the harvesting. A net is placed under the trees and a hand rake is used to pull the ripe olives from the trees. Once the olives are harvested they are taken to the olive press in town to convert the ripe fruit to olive oil.

After the wine tour, our next stop was a saffron farm for lunch. More about that later.

To end our tour of Tuscany, we visit the hill town of San Gimignano, known for its Medieval towers. We climb to the top of the town for a spectacular view of the countryside. The Duomo is a fine example of Tuscan Romanesque architecture. The exterior is plain but the inside is full of beautiful frescos. After a cup of cappuccino and a tour of the shops, we drive back to Florence.
If you are planning a trip to Tuscany, I would highly recommend you check out Rebecca Christphersen's web site Tuscan Wine Tours. She is very knowledgeable about the wines and history of the region and will make sure you experience the heart of Tuscany.

Thanks Rebecca for giving us the chance to be Italians for the day!

Take-Out, Italian Style

Our meal tonight is take-out Italian style. After the segway tour, we are ready for dinner. Since the restaurants have not opened for the evening meal, we decide to stop by the Super Mercado for take-out. There we purchased Proscuitto di Parma, Salami, Porchetta, several cheeses, fruit, olives, olio, and aged balsamic vinegar. Behind us in the check-out line was a young man from Alabama who quickly picked up on our southern accent. He is an Auburn graduate living in Florence. After a stop at our neighborhood bakery, Il Forno, for bread we head to the apartment. Add a little vino and you have everything you need for a delicious meal.From the look of this table, it must have been good!

Touring Florence Via Segway

If you are looking for a unique way to see Florence, try a segway tour. After 15 minutes of training you are motoring around the city as Roberto tells you about the sites of Florence. For me, the segway was a challenge. As we moved through the streets, my concentration was on the segway, not the scenery. As for Kenny, he loved it.

One of our stops was at the Wild Boar Market. The story goes that if you place a coin in the boar's mouth and it falls through the grate on the first try, you will return to Florence within the year. If the the coin falls into the grate on your second attempt, you will return to Florence in one year. Looks like Kenny and I will be back in Florence soon because we both were successful on our first attempt!

Thanks Roberto for showing us your city!

Lunch at Il Tocco di Bacco

For lunch, we hit the streets in search of classic Tuscan dishes and we found some at Il Tocco di Bacco. The sign outside announced today's specials, Lasagne and Ribolitta. House wine was our first course - stored in a keg and served in ceramic pitchers. I had the Ribolitta, Italy's version of southern vegetable soup and cornbread. Ribolitta starts with minestrone made with white beans and seasonal vegetables and day old bread is added to the soup to create a very thick, hearty meal. I was disappointed in the Ribolitta. It was served lukewarm and lacked flavor. Kenny ordered the Filet with Chianti Sauce. The filet of beef was sliced about 3/4" thick, cooked to medium rare and smothered in a thick wine sauce that was a perfect compliment to the beef. This dish was a winner. The beef was tender and the sauce tasted as good as it smelled.

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery houses one of the best collections of art in the world and is a "must see" if you are in Florence. We followed the guidebook recommendations and made reservations before leaving home. With Rick Steve's book in hand, we took the elevator to the top floor and read our way through the rooms. Plan to spend at least 2 hours admiring the works of the world great masters.