Foodtopia Moments

On a recent trip to the northern part of Italy, my cousins Maryanne and Diane, and I made out way through Toscana (Tuscany). Known for its beautiful cities, ancient and Renaissance past, and countless treasures in museums, the region is also known for meat. We went to the restaurant Osteria Filetto d'Oro, which was tucked away in a little side street behind the Duomo in Firenze (Florence). The restaurant was hot, like sitting in sauna hot, however the food was delicious. My cousin chose the wild boar, which I tasted and it was delicious. Loaded with flavors like wine, cinnamon, and nutmeg, it was as tender as one could imagine. I chose the tagliatelle con ragu di coniglio (pasta with rabbit gravy). It wasn't a tomato based sauce, but more of a brothy sauce with carrots, celery and onions. The lip of the bowl was sprinkled with black pepper which added to the pasta while twirling. 

For my secondi (main dish), I went with the tagliatta di manzo con rucola e parmagiana (sliced grilled steak over arugula with parmagiana reggiano cheese). The steak, like standard in Firenze, was served rare, almost to the point you could hear the mooing. It was tender and flavorful, and with the lemon I squeezed on top was the perfect way to have beef.  When in Tuscany, get after the meats.