Tuscany food:
Maremma Gastronomy

Maremma: Gastronomy

The quality of the food and wine alone is sufficient reason to visit this province. Beyond the appeal of the sea and the hills or that of the archeological attractions, there is acquacotta, the dish par excellence of the Maremma, or delicious papparedelle alla lepre, egg noodles with hare sauce, or tortelli ripieni di bietola e ricotta con sughi di carne, ravioli stuffed with chard and ricotta cheese with meat sauce, to make a visit worth while.

In order to appreciate this land, it is important to learn what it can offer, being especially careful to take in its contrasting flavors, strong and mild, fragrant and decisive. It's easy to talk about food and wine in this setting where dishes are simple and genuine. The Maremma cuisine has maintained its traditional recipes with their wealth of variety.

Wild boar - Photo © ≈ Giacomo ≈

In a land of hunters, there are tasty dishes of wild-boar, hare and pheasant. But there are also fish dishes which are delicate and vigorous at the same time. Then there are soups and garlic breads boasting of delicious local olive oil and innumerable cheeses and wines.

Both the wines and the olive oils from this area are exceptional. Fine D.O.C. wines exalt the unique flavors of the excellent local dishes. The Maremma offers many wine and gastronomical itineraries to serious connoisseurs and those who simply love good food and wine.

One may follow the Strade del Vino: the "Colli di Maremma" with one of the princes of Tuscan red, Morellino di Scansano; the "Montegregio-Massa Marittima" with examples of the Maremma's new wine growing and producing abilities and, the last founded, Montecucco with the unique flavors of a wine born on mountain slopes.

The Maremma countryside is not only a feast for the eyes, but offers other hidden treasures that must be discovered and enjoyed with the patience and tranquility of the seasons.

These are treasures known for thousands of years. The Etruscans had already begun to know and revere them: the scents of olive oil, chestnuts, wines; the dense flavors of honey, cheese, fruit.

There are numerous oil and wine producers active in the towns throughout the Maremma. Many of them offer the possibility of staying at their establishments in order to follow the various production phases. But the many products typical of the Maremma may also be sampled and enjoyed during the numerous town fairs. These are usually dedicated to their own oil and wine production as well as chestnuts and honey.

Text courtesy of APT Maremma

© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
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