Visiting Tuscany - the Restaurant Da Delfina

A visit to Tuscany is not complete without a visit to Da Delfina. This restaurant, located just outside of Florence, is one of the most famous restaurants in the world and one of the few authentic Italian restaurants still operating. The restaurant is family-owned and takes its name from the ninety-year old matriarch who still metes out much of the cooking.

Da Delfina is located within the rolling hills of Tuscany and the view, particularly when eating alfresco on the charming terrace, is exquisite. The menu offers a variety of home made sausages and meats and fish that are home-cured and grilled over a wood fireplace. The restaurant uses traditional and modern means to prepare their fare of authentic Italian dishes.

The menu offers a vast array of appetizers that are sure to please any palate. Highly recommended are the home-made fennel salami and pecorino cheese, which are both made on the premises and aged in the cellar. The fennel salami has just a hint of fennel taste and is excellent when combined with the cheese and some home made bread. This, alone, coupled with a glass of one of the region's wine, is enough to satisfy a hungry appetite.

Some tradition Tuscan dishes include Risotto, which is a rice dish cooked very slow to perfection and flavored with vegetables and mushrooms, Ribollita soup, also called "bread soup," which is very hearty and is a traditional Italian comfort food, and pasticcio which is pasta cooked with herbs and topped with a béchamel sauce. Other first course specialties include fresh artichokes, farro soup, bacon and wild asparagus.

In Tuscany, as most of Italy, traditional dining requires a first course, usually a pasta or rice dish, and a second course, which is usually a meat dish. The second course options on the menu include goat, lamb cutlets and wild game birds. Most of the meats are cooked over the wood fire in the kitchen and have a heavenly aroma.

Desserts at Da Delfina include a wide variety of home made pastries, many stuffed with sweet cheeses and fresh fruit, when in season.