If you are by chance planning on being in Tuscany in July there is a must attend for the carnivore.  An annual celebration of all that is bovine, steaky goodness is put on every year not to far outside of Florence. A brief train ride will take you to the “week of happiness” as the subtitle of the festival tells you.

Red is the color of the day, or weekend, for my fellow gluttons.  Ample amounts of blood rare Chianina beef served with every available type of full, lush, bursting red wine.  From  every Chianti producer to Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to Brunello di Montelcino.

Your iron levels will soar to new heights as your tastebuds revel in the fantastic quality of Chianina.  I am a glutton for steak.  I have been known to down a one kilo steak myself on numerous occasions.  Much to the astonishment of both the restaurant staff and my dining partner.  If you are one to eat small amounts of food very daintily, then this is probably not the event for you.

On the other hand, if like yours truly, just the mention of a big, juice well-aged, thick sliced porterhouse style cut can send your mind into a state of permabliss then you should not miss this.

Chianina beef is a source of pride for Tuscans and is slowly becoming more popular and available in the United States as well.  It has a combination of leanness and tenderness that I have never found in another type of beef, and it is especially well represented in the Bistecca, which is the same cut as a porterhouse. And I have to say, I have never met a quality steak that I didn’t like.

Growth of the popularity of the breed and crossbreeding with with Angus cattle has led to increased availibility of the beef in the US, so if you do happen to fall in love with the meat when you are here, it is becoming easier to duplicate the experience back at home.

http://www.giraitalia.it/sagre/toscana/firenze/luglio.html

This is in Italian but all the relevant information is understandable.