Tuscn Fish Recipe - Sea Bass with Onions and Tomatoes

Finally the summer season has arrived in Tuscany!! Temperatures are rising and blue skies meet green grasslands, yellow sunflower fields, vineyards, tulip-covered wildflower fields and the gently rolling waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Tuscan coast is indeed very long and varies greatly offering all sorts of beaches and sea bottoms. Here you will be able to enjoy rocky beaches and cliffs, long and sandy beaches faced by clear waters perfect for snorkeling and watching the many varieties of fish. The Mediterranean Sea is also perfect for fishing as it is characterized by abundant fish and sunny days without wind.

When you go out at sea to fish or simply fish from the river of the Mediterranean, you will surely go back home with at least one nice fish for the day. Here we would like to give you a fish recipe cooked the Tuscan way. Simple and tasty!

A very common fish that you will be able to get with your fishing rod (or buy at the fishmonger!), is the sea bass.

The ingredients for 4 people are:
1 sea bass (2 pounds)
3 tomatoes
2 onions
2 lemons
I glass of dry white wine
Thyme
Bay leaves
Parsley
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Wash the sea bass and set it in an oven pan on a bed of freshly sliced onions. Slice the tomatoes removing the seeds and set them around the sea bass. Slice the lemons thinly and cover up the sea bass with the slices. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
Pour a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the lemons, adding the glass of white dry wineand add one whole bay leave on top.
Set the sea bass in the pre heated oven at 200 Celsius or 392 Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Before serving sprinkle the sea bass with minced parsley and thyme leaves.

The delicacy of this recipe is well matched by a great Tuscan wine such as the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Just imagine tasting it during a warm afternoon with a nice glass of chilled Vernaccia...Enjoy!

Tuscany Wine Tour near Montalcino

This is the story of a woman, Anna Lisa Tempestini, that is passionate about wine and has a great sense of what it should be to let those who wish to enjoy a great wine tour in the Tuscan countryside.


Born in Chicago, USA, in 1966, my family brought me to Florence when I was four years old, and that is where I grew up.
My passion for wine started when I was 19, studying at the University, and working part-time in the p.r. office of the Consorzio del Vino Chianti Classico Gallo Nero.
After a couple of months, I decided to leave my studies and dedicate myself completely to this, my first real job. My main occupation was to help a woman in organizing tours for journalists of the Chianti vineyards; after a while, I began to lead the tours myself, basically taking her place, but she was happy to do other things. It was a very busy office, and I enjoyed very much the feeling of working with a team.
When I had a chance, I would go in the laboratory, where the inspectors tasted wines that had to be approved before giving them the pink DOCG label, and I would take this opportunity to taste as well.
I will never forget the day when I realized that a wine I really liked had a very high score on a magazine. A voice inside of me said: "hey, maybe I do understand something…"
I'm not really sure, though, when and how I fell in love with wine. It was very gradual. The first time I felt this way, it happened by chance. I didn't decide anything. Then, slowly I realized that I never wanted to leave the wine world; I can still feel that part of myself growing. There is always something new to learn, mostly from people. One of my favourite things to do is to observe real "wine people" and just absorb everything that I can from them. I'll never forget when I met one very famous French wine producer: I had to take him to visit a vineyard, but it had unfortunately started to rain while I was on my way to pick him up. I apologized to him, saying, "too bad it's raining." He answered, "perfect; then I can see the drainage." Touchè.

It was also very lucky that I was even accepted in the wine world at that time. It was not easy twenty years ago in a totally male dominated industry, in a country like Italy! Even though I was the youngest in the office, after a year and a half, I found that I had outgrown the working atmosphere I had so loved. It felt claustrophobic: I needed to be more outside, and I wanted to learn more…I wanted to be working on a farm.

At the age of 21, I left a "sure" job for a 3 month position in an estate in Montalcino at Altesino Winery, where I met my husband. The 3 months ended up becoming 2 years! Then came along our 3 children, but that is another story.
At Altesino I was taking care of the wine tastings and of the many visitors. Because of my relationship with Claudio, who is still the director, I was also in constant contact with the importers and other parties interested in the Estate.
It was again another important experience for me, to learn about Brunello, this Montalcino region…and to learn to love it, of course.

After Altesino, and a couple of children, I went to work in another estate, Costanti, owned by a dear friend of Claudio and I. I worked there for about 6 years, it was a perfect job since it was part time but rich in responsibilities.

Eventually I left Costanti, because I started to give wine tours, working for a friend who has a very good agency, and I needed to have more flexibility in my schedule.
Taking people on wine tours has a very specific meaning for me: every time something must be different. It is like traveling, sharing my passion, transmitting what this land has to offer, and meeting people ensuring that there is always something interesting for me to learn as well.
All of this goes above and beyond the fact that, while working in the industry, I had the opportunity to taste the majority of the wines produced in this area and to get to know the owners of the wineries themselves.
In a way, visitors that come here are already a "selective bunch" (please excuse the pun!): he who enjoys wine, usually enjoys food, and for sure enjoys life! For this reason I feel very lucky, since I always take away from my clients a healthy dose of enthusiasm.
Since 2004 I take care of the clients at Borgo Finocchieto (www.borgofinocchieto.com) for all of their wine tour needs and began a new adventure last year: it is now also my responsibility to select the wines for the Borgo's growing cellar. A wonderful job.

My husband and I decided that our lives were not busy enough, so we went ahead and planted a vineyard here at home. For a couple of years now I produce my own wine, Martin del Nero, as well as extra virgin olive oil, and in 2007 I was asked to be consigliera for the Consortium of Doc Orcia producers. These things bring me great joy, and it seems that I have finally come full circle to where I feel I naturally belong.
Bottles, glasses, now roots and leaves. Scents, shades. So many wines to taste, all of them so different. Which wood to use, for how long. Decisions. As a producer I now have a new personality to deal with every year, different characteristics, different needs, new challenges. Just the way I like it.

Anna Lisa Tempestini

You can contact Anna Lisa at her email: annalisa@fattoriaresta.it

Arezzo: a short history of this wonderful city

Arezzo was one of the twelve most important Etruscan cities. It is considered to have been one of the most important among them. The acropolis of San Cornelio, one of the hills of Arezzo, was fortified by the Etruscans. Etruscan walls, the Poggio del Sole necropolis, and the "Minerva" and the "Chimera of Arezzo", now in Florence, testify the Etruscan past of Arezzo. Trades with Greece allowed for fine Greek pottery, finer than the Etruscan, to be imported.
A piece of pottery from Roman-times Arezzo was found in India at Arikamedu. This is evidence that Arezzo vested an important exporting role during Roman times with was then called Persia.

The Romans conquered the Etruscan Arezzo in 311 BC. Named Arretium in Latin, the city became an important military station on the Cassia road. The Cassia road was the way to expansion of Rome into the Po river valley. During the Roman civil war Arretium was half demolished after the victory of Sulla. In the Augustan period Arretium continued to flourish as Arretium Vetus (The Old Arezzo) and was the third largest city in Italy. This period saw Arezzo getting famous for its pottery manufactures, the well-known red, and black Bucchero clay vases and pottery.

The 3rd and 4th centuries saw Arezzo became throned by the Roman church bishops. These bishops used to be feudal lords of the city during the Middle Ages.
Unfortunately the Roman Arretium was demolished during the barbaric invasions and parly by the people of the city itself to reuse the stones to fortify the city. The only construction that still stands is the Amphitheater.

Between 1098 until 1384 Arezzo kept its status of independent city-state. The affiliation with Siena's Ghibelline made Arezzo an opposer of Guelph Florence. The year 1252 saw the university of Arezzo, the Studium, being founded. In 1289 the fortunes of the city started to decrease as in 1384 the city became a Guelph city, making of the city an appendix of Florence, inheriting its politics, history and culture with a consequent loss of identity. The Medicean family ruled over Arezzo. However, it was during this period of Medicean art patronage that Piero della Francesca created his beautiful frescoes in the church of San Francesco di Arezzo. The frescoes have been recently restored and represent Arezzo's most representative works; soon afterwards Arezzo began a cultural and economical decline, which somehow helped preserving the medieval center of the city.

In the 18th century the Val di Chiana was drained helping the elimination of malaria. The end of the century meant the French invasion of Arezzo. The Napoleonic troups conquered the city. However the Viva Maria resistance movement turned the city into a base against the invaders. Thanks to this movement and the importance it vested Arezzo became the capital of its province. When in 1860 Italy was unified, Arezzo became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. The city kept its status during WW one and two, however suffering heavy damages.

Farmhouses, country homes and appartments for exploring Tuscany’s countryside

You can choose a place to stay in Tuscany’s countryside from a wide selection of farmhouses, country homes and apartments available on this site. The site also gives an explanation of the booming business of farm holidays in Tuscany. The site’s search engine helps you to choose an accommodation by providing information such as descriptions, prices, facilities, contact numbers and photos. Don’t forget to check out the weather forecast in Tuscany, available on this site, if you are planning a trip to this beautiful region. If you work in the farm holiday business, you can also request to insert your farmhouse in their database.
Just click on the title of this post to be redirected to the official Tuscan Region website.

Traveller's Advice - When in Tuscany...

Why should you go to any place and start criticizing it from the word go as if being there were the worst thing in the world?

I understand you cannot love any place you visit, and that you are well entitled to disliking any one city, town, culture, whatever you get to know, but I say, at least try! And why should you dislike it from the very beginning? This is prejudice to me.

I invited my aunt Mary to Florence, where I was spending several days as part of my seminary on rare plants in Italy. The seminary was part of the University of Florence joined project with Constantin University in Texas, where I have taught for several years. Anyway...My aunt is surprisingly young (there is a lot of difference between her and my mother) she is only 54 and she loves to travel. However up to this last time she had only traveled through the United States and Canada. It seems like the impact with the Old Continent made her feel just how good she has when she is at home.

I have always had a wonderful relationship with my aunt (I call her Squeeny from Squeezable Jenny, her first name...well Jennifer in reality) but Squeeny did not like my trip planning and the places, and the food and the people and so many things I planned for her that I was sure she would have enjoyed.

As soon as she got to Florence at the airport she had to complain why the airplane was so small and why she had to land in Rome and then get to Florence afterwards..I told her..well The airport in Florence is just getting bigger, plus, getting from Rome with the train to Florence is not bad at all, as the train takes you from Fiumicino airport with just two changes in two hours total!

Well, the roads were not large enough for her, as the traffic was too slow during rush hour..I told her that Florence is an old city and that the wider the roads the more the cars in it, so wider roads would have not sped up things. I suggested her to enjoy the cab ride from the very central airport to our hotel right by the Duomo of Florence square where the Campanile of Giotto is. She could have enjoyed Santa Maria Novella, the Fortress in Florence, and the massive stature of the Duomo, Battistero and Campanile altogether. She did notice it, getting off the cab, and she said: "well, they're big, what's in them, offices?" and when I told her what they were she grumbled something about a Dallas plaza with more shops and less pigeons! Anyway..

My aunt was surprisingly grumpy and critical of everything! I mean, this was Italy! and not only that, it was Florence! Well, may be she was just having a bad day or the jet lag got into her.

Next day I told her I had planned a nice stroll along the Rossi street in Florence and the Tornabuoni street, two of the most glamorous streets in Florence. She was not particularly in love with the idea, and did not change much the fact that at the end I was going to take her for a gelato in Piazza della Signoria...alright, a little cliche, but this was he FIRST time in Italy! A little cliche is good!

So we strolled and she looked very critical: "why do Italians have to wear tie and suit everywhere? What is with this business with their hands? it seems they are always fighting! In movies it's funny, but here they make me nervous! Why is everyone looking at me?" I said that maybe her grumpy eyes did not help and that she looked pretty feisty herself...I suggested we go straight to the gelato, but of course the one she gets at "the world's best ice cream" in Dallas is better..I suggested her that Italians did invent the gelato the way we know it today, but a "Nonsense!" erased my effort. I was getting a little frustrated. I did not care if she hated the entire Florence and Italy, but being with her was "funless", to say it in Dickinsonian terms. More to come...

Beautiful Tuscan Food!

Yesterday night I have been to a wonderful restaurant in Marciano della Chiana a nice spot located in South of Tuscany, in Arezzo province. The restaurant was just amazing!, It is run buy an "Oste" who just serve delicious seasonal tuscan food. Yesterday we had a fantastic pork cooked in the oven with fresh garlic, and some wonderful potatoes with rosemary and a fantastic apple cake with home made ice cream!. All the products that you can at "Hosteria Vecchia Rota" are very good because the Oste only take the best products that he can find changing them depending on the season of the year. If you have the opportunity to be in Marciano in Tuscany in July or in August I would strongly suggest to ask for "Pici all Ocio". Ocio is a big withe duck that you can eat almost only in summer and it is really one of the best meat in the world!

Hosteria Vecchia rota has not got any website so unfortunately I can not put the link for you but if you wish to go I just put below the telephone number and the address.

Hosteria Vecchia Rota
Via XX Settembre 4
Marciano della Chiana

tel: 0575 845362
cell: 335 5912812

Do not expect them to speak in English, so bring your dictionary English Italian!

If you wish to go I would strongly suggest to call them and to ask for a reservation as it is a very popular Osteria and many locals go every day.

My best regards for all of you!

Simon

Christmas in Tuscany

Coming to Tuscany during the sunny season is for sure an experience to try and repeat. Here a little advice. You can discover Tuscany during the winter holiday season and get stunned by how romantic it can be to be wrapped in this atmosphere and spend a fabulous holiday with your loved ones.
The beauty of Christmas and New Year in Tuscany lays on the way streets in cities are dressed up, the way windows are adorned, the way people smile. In the countryside you will find that an evening dark sky that promises nothing but snow contrasts with the homelike feeling of snuggling up in front of a warm fireplace, and that is a wonderful feeling.
We have already rented a villa in Tuscany during the holiday season twice so far, and that is why I am telling you it is a wonderful experience. The first time when we arrived at the villa we found that the owners had gifted us with a Christmas tree, all adorned and lighten up, the fireplace was crackling nicely, and we immediately felt like we owned this villa and it had been our home for some time!

Having dinners around the table while outside it occasionally snowed (it is rare for snow to fall in Tuscany, and when it does it lasts a couple of days), enjoying nice discussions on the comfortable sofas, and coming home from a lovely daytour in Florence or San Gimignano to prepare our favourite dishes filled us with a sensation of relaxation and peace that is hard to find enywhere else.
Here below is a short version of the Cristmas Eve's dinner at our friens' house. The gravy on the mashed potatoes could not be missing! Lovely! We will be in Tuscany again this year, let us know if you wish to have a hint on how to choose the right place! And even though it might be too soon...Merry Christmas!