An inspiring day in the Tuscan countryside
There is nothing better than Sunday morning, when you set no alarm and wake up slowly, sun is shining and you know you have the whole day to yourself and your family. For us, living in Florence, these are the perfect ingredients for a Chianti getaway, like the one we planned a few weekends ago.
Our ideas for spending a perfect Sunday the Italian way were taking our time at breakfast and then enjoying a slow drive in the countryside. Where to? Wine tasting and lunch, obviously. That’s why we headed to Gaiole in Chianti and went visiting La Casa di Bricciano, a family-run organic winery with limited production but limitless passion for high-quality winemaking.
4 reds, with Sangiovese being the protagonist, sided by excellent expressions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Rory, the owner and winemaker, drove us up and down the vines on his off-road and finished the tour with a tasting on a self-built wooden terrace overlooking the valley. No surprise everything felt even more special at the end.
Their wines quality and their own passion and dedication made us really enjoy ourselves, forget about time and…be late for lunch. We were still sitting and enjoying wine and chats under a shy yet warming sun, when we suddenly realized that we had a restaurant reservation. So, we reluctantly left our glasses and said our goodbyes to Rory and his wife. We got back in our car and went all the way from Gaiole to Panzano in Chianti, another of our favorite small local towns. Actually, when we are in the area, we usually have lunch at our beloved Osteria Le Panzanelle in Lucarelli (read more about it here: “When in Chianti on a Sunday”), but its unexpected closure for holidays forced us - for once - to consider some alternatives.
So we went with Il Salotto del Frantoio, a recently opened spot in Panzano, that is not even nearly close to what we are used to see and taste in Chianti. Far from the traditional osteria or trattoria, this restaurant is run and managed by a group of young people, putting creativity in their cooking and showing patience towards their belated customers. Despite our impolite delay, in fact, we were warmly welcomed and served.
We found their dishes to be refined in the ingredients and made by experts hands, great at re-interpreting our Tuscan culinary tradition. We began with verdure dell’orto which is a typical Tuscan starter, made by a mix of seasonal vegetables. The chef was able to give it a more gourmet and international touch, by placing a poached egg on top and some roasted quinoa below.
As primo we ordered tortelli di peposo, the latter being a traditional stew cooked in the oven and seasoned with lots of black pepper. Peposo, literally stands for peppery, in fact. And so were the tortelli: peppery, tasty and definitely satisfying as a real traditional dish should be. Yet, served and presented with elegance and creativity.
Unfortunately, the wine tasting and the prosciutto and Parmigiano offered by Rory, had already filled our bellies, leaving no space for secondo. So, we skipped to dessert: a delicious creamy chocolate pudding with raspberries and a crunchy crumble. No need to describe its taste…I mean, just look at this picture!
At the end of the meal, while sipping a good espresso, we made our thoughts about the experience we’d just had. Different from what we are used to taste in our region, especially when we go to the countryside. There, you generally get tons of pasta with generous amounts of sauce, savory slow-cooked meat dishes, rustic and rich contorni that succeed in making even vegetables become a sin of gluttony. But sometimes it’s good to choose innovation over tradition, and it’s even better when you find a place that offers both!
Il Salotto del Frantoio definitely met our expectations. It delighted our palates and stimulated our minds, raising our curiosity towards their concept of Tuscan cuisine. And it also made us understand that no matter how strongly we are rooted in tradition, sometimes a breath of fresh air can be exactly what we need. To get ourselves prepared for our next ton of pasta grandma’s way, of course.