We managed to see, do, and eat a lot during our 2.5 days in Florence. Shortly after arriving, Alexa and I returned to Osteria il Buongustai, which we went to three years ago, for a delicious lunch of tomato risotto, truffle spaghetti, walnut salad with local cheese, and the best tiramisu in the world. The reasonable prices and great hospitality make it one of our favorite lunch spots on all of our travels. We walked over the Ponte Vecchio bridge, famous for its jewelry shops, and spent the afternoon at the Uffizi Gallery. That evening, we met with the family for a walk up to Basilica San Miniato al Monte, high up on a hill with a panoramic view of the sunset. After enjoying the incredible views, we went with Rick and Michael to Trattoria Dall'Oste, near the train station, for delicious Florentine steak. The steak, always cooked rare, went well with the light, fruity house wine served in a carafe. We went for a long walk to Vivoli for gelato, then back home through Piazza del Duomo, home to Florence’s stunning 1200s marble cathedral. We started the next morning with a visit to Florence’s Mercato Centrale, a large market and food hall with a great selection of Tuscan specialties. Much of the food in Italy is local, and regulations govern the quality required for a particular food to be marketed and sold as such. We walked across town for fresh pies at Gusta Pizza, then back to Perche No for more gelato. Suffice to say, we felt tired and full as we browsed the Galileo Museum, which has a fascinating collection of scientific instruments, medical equipment, and technological innovations dating back hundreds of years. For our last day, Alexa, Michael, and I took a day trip to San Miniato, where we spent the morning truffle hunting with Massimo, his father (an expert truffle hunter), and his dog Pepe. We learned that most truffle products, such as truffle oil, are poor quality and often flavored with chemicals. Truffles are best when shaved over something hot, which helps extract the flavor. We found 3 black truffles and one white, the first of the season, then returned to Massimo’s house, where his sister cooked a delicious lunch.
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September 2018
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