The heart of Tuscany celebrates Easter with a passion unrivaled in the United States.  Florence has held the same festival for well over 300 years, beginning in 1679.  The biggest spectacle is the arrival and “explosion of the cart.”  The cart, the same that has been used since 1679 is drawn through the streets of Florence by garland wearing oxen and finished at the front of the Duomo.  Easter Mass is held in the Duomo of course, and if you do not arrive EARLY, like with that rooster on the Chianti Classico bottles early, do not count on getting in to the Mass.

The actual explosion of the cart is representative of the rekindling of the hearth fires of the Florentines, a tradition dating from just after the crusades.  Now the immediate explosion of the cart and launching of the fireworks signifies an abundant harvest, and if the cart does not immediately ignite after the dove is launched from the Duomo a huge, disappointed collective groan will rise from the crowd.  After the cart has launched all its fireworks a procession in full Medieval costume begins.  The costumes are stunning, colorful and the particpants all are happy and boisterous, this is definitely NOT a somber Protestant Easter celebration.

The city is overflowing with life and bodies on Easter Sunday, so plan ahead.  Keeping some snacks and bottle of water with you will help stave off the hunger that will gnaw at you while you are waiting to get into a restaurant to enjoy the lamb that is traditionally served for Easter dinner here.  And hopefully you have picked up some of the beautiful chocolate eggs that the local artisans create, even custom designed with gifts placed inside by the buyer.  Makes it hard to appreciate a pink hard-boiled egg after you receive one of these works of art.

Eat well Sunday night.  Eat very well Sunday night.  The entire country except for some public transportation and a limited number of restaurants, and of course the hotels, shuts down for “lunedi Pasqua” or the Monday after Easter.  You will hopefully be lazily wallowing in your food coma and looking through a collection of photos on your camera that will give you great stories for your friends.

If it ever is within your power to arrange to be in Italy during the month February and attending Carnivale in Viareggio is even remotely in the back of your mind, bring it to the forefront.  First of all, it is pretty much impossible to not have fun at Carnivale, especially for the type of person that loves food and wine.  And although most of the political satire will be lost on those that don’t live in Italy or follow the swings of Italian politics if you can’t have an incredible time here, you might as well just throw in the towel now.

There are floats, costumes and a complete parade of pre-Lent shenaningans.  Plus Italian cooking and wine.  If you have the means, prices skyrocket for Carnivale, a room in the “Il Principe” Hotel, on the promenade, across the street from the Mediterranean and on the parade route is the way to go.  A four star hotel with beautiful views and understated elegant decor and a location that is unbeatable, are capped off the “Il Piccolo Principe” restaurant.  A Michelin rated restaurant across the street from the beach and a wine list that will challenge your pronunciation as much as your taste buds.

Staying in the city itself is always the best way to enjoy Carnivale, especially because Viareggio is known for its active nightlife.  The weekends during Carnivale essentially don’t stop.  So if incredible seafood based Tuscan cuisine, great wine and good times are high on your agenda then this is a must attend.  There are, of course, all kinds of rentals available so finding accommodations if you book ahead need not be a bank breaker because the city is filled with vacation rental apartments in addition to great food, shopping and entertainment. And that lovely little strip of sand in which to baste yourself to a golden brown before indulging in much of the fresh, caught-that-day seafood that is offered in all the local restaurants.

In general, people don’t think of winter as a time for fruit based desserts, but one of my personal favorites in the dessert category happens to be pears poached in red wine.  An extremely simple recipe, a little on the long side for cooking time but 90% of that time is pot watching time, so this is a great recipe for good multi-taskers and perfect when you go to the grocery store and see mounds of bosc pears begging to jump into shopping cart.  It is important that the pears are not underripe and are really fresh.  If you try this out of season with imported pears they have a flavor that is quite “green,” somehow, and it just isn’t the same.

INGREDIENTS

Bosc pears, 1 per person

Medium bodied red wine, Chianti and Rhone style wines like Syrah are best

Vanilla beans (about 1/2 bean per pear)

granulated sugar (about 1/2 cup or possibly a little more with a drier wine)

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp cloves (star anise as a substitute works as well)

1 sprig mint

either vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Peel all the skin from the pears leaving the stem and making the bottom of the pears flat so the can sit in the pot.  Add the pears to a pan deep enough that they can be entirely covered.  Fill the pan with enough wine to cover the pears and add the vanilla beans, split and emptied, the cinnamon, cloves and sugar cover and boil for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the pears.  When the pears are finished they should be tender all the way through, when you stick a cocktail stick through, the resistance should be about the same as a fully cooked baked potato.

Set the pears aside when they are done and reduce the sauce.  Taste for sweetness.  This should take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the pan.  When the sauce is the thickness of syrup and clings to a spoon it is finished.

Pool the sauce on plates, then add the pears with a little mint sprig next to the stem and a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.

So it may be a stereotype that writer type people drink a lot more coffee than most people.  And it may be a stereotype that in Italy you drink more coffee than most places. Now if you take the two of those and combine them….let’s say that caffeine can become its own food group.  Every stereotype has a grain of truth that has kept it alive, and this is no exception.  I personally like tasty little cookies to go along with my coffee.  Although my consumption of cantuccini is extremely regular, a little variety is, as they say, the spice of life.

If you have traveled in Tuscany you know that hazelnuts are extremely popular here.  They are outweighed in the fall by stands of freshly roasted chestnuts all over the region, but you can always find hazelnuts.  So what is a great way to combine these two flavors? By making simple hazelnut cookies and putting them all the way around the saucer for the coffee.

Simple energizing and motivating.  I found a four ingredient recipe on www.regionalrecipes.com that takes only 15 minutes to prep. www.regionalrecipes.com/article1136 and the advice about only using real butter is key.  I personally prefer to always use unsalted butter for baking because I think it lends a sweeter flavor without increasing the sugar content or the calorie count; this helps to justify an extra cookie.  I am a big fan of dishes with a small number of ingredients and using only flour, sugar, butter and hazelnuts you get great results here.  After the work day is done adding Frangelico to the coffee and then dipping the cookies is a good complementary flavor as well.

The website was really fun too. In addition to Tuscany, they have regional recipes and cookbook recommendations from around the world. And enjoying food has no borders.

I am one of those that has difficulty meeting a wine tasting I don’t like.  It seems that all of the best regions in the world for growing vines also have innate naturaly beauty.  So combine the taste and smell of great wine with your eyes resting on rolling hills and the result is sensational.

About an hour outside of Florence there is a picture postcard perfect little town called San Gimignano.  A photographer could earn a living just with the views both inside and outside of this beautiful hilltop village.  Located in the Chianti region, it is always a popular tourist destination.  The characteristic medieval towers that are spaced around the city wall are visible for miles and make one want to take a trip back in time.  Walking within the town is a special treat compared to many Italian cities because almost all traffic is foot traffic, and the main piazza really retains a lot of the original charm, especially sitting on the terraza of one of the neighboring restaurants.

What really makes this town unique is that it is the home of one of the only DOC designated white wines in Italy, Vernaccia di San Gimignano.  The town nearly doubles in population during harvest time.  Wine tours that make San Gimignano part of their package will also most likely take you within the city and to Chianti producers that are nearby.  But if you would like to return from your vacation with an incredibly unique wine in addition to stunning photos, this is a don’t miss.

www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/San_Gimignano

www.italyandwine.net/tuscany/san-gimignano

www.cellartours.com/italy/wine-tours/san-gimignano