My Italy Eats

Dishes I've tried and come to LOVE!

TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

Souvenirs from TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

The first weekend in Florence my mom and I went to TASTE, a food and wine tasting event. Basically, I was in foodie heaven. I lit up and bounced around the countless vendors, sampling their divine selections of wines, tomato sauces, cheeses, salami, olive oils, chocolates, and truffles (it’s no surprise to say Italians are passionate about their cuisine). I even stepped out of my comfort zone and indulged in some exotic samples. I dare say the best thing I tasted that day was…pork liver. Yes, that’s right. Approaching the booth, gazing at the jar of who knows what, I thought, "Screw it! I’ll try that." It was amazing! And then I accepted a taste of pork cheek, which was also exceptionally good.

First time tasting Peposo. image by Flora Kontilis

To that end, I’ve been a bit more adventurous with trying the food here. Until now, I hadn’t eaten red meat since 2006. But in Florence I’ve been intrigued try it. I came to the right place: Florentines are known for their steak dishes. So far the best thing I’ve been introduced to is Peposo, a Tuscan beef stew. However, it’s not so much a stew as it is juicy pieces of beef (chuck steak) in a savory peppery sauce. Don’t let that deter you though; it’s not spicy by any means. Last night I shared Peposo with my mom. I sliced through it like butter. No...really. Who would have thought of all the things to eat here that I’d love a red meat dish? This is definitely one of my favorite take-aways from Italian life.

Vendor at TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

I’ve found a peposo recipe for you here. Food blogger Giulia Scarpaleggia has a great post on peposo as well. Enjoy!

Oh, and stand back, Manchego. Watch out, Buffalo Mozzarella. Pecorino cheese is where it’s at.