Eating in Tuscany: a delight for everyone

Matchless art and stunning nature: Tuscany is appreciated worldwide for such union. But there is also another aspect rising this wonderful region to a land perfect for an unforgettable vacation: food-and-drink, featuring typical Tuscan dishes with a perfect balance between simplicity and delicacy. The bygone “poor dishes” – so called because they were prepared with a few simple ingredients – are nowadays appreciated all over Italy and worldwide, thanks to the special taste that only genuine products and unchanged recipes can give.

The connection with the territory is a distinctive feature of this varied cuisine, that is linked to the changing seasons: at its base there are genuine and quality ingredients, a guarantee on the excellence of the dish concerned.

Vinci, the small village where the Podere Jana is situated, is in the province of Florence and is located on the Chianti hills, that are the most appreciated and visited ones: of course, one reason is to be found in the climate and in the wonderful landscapes, but the food-and-wine aspect is important too, as it reaches extremely high levels all over Tuscany, especially in this area. Wine, cheese, sausage, meat, honey, jam…there are several food and agricultural products which are doubly connected to these fertile lands as for production, preservation and ripening, thus producing something unique, an actual delight for everyone.

Not to forget olive oil, representing the Tuscany’s source of pride and a quality agricultural product. Olive oil became famous throughout centuries, and it is still drawn through the ancient methods: plants are cultivated by the same techniques of the past and handicraft oil presses are still used for production. The value of Tuscan olive oil is undeniable, thanks to the special care growers take for every phase of the process, ending with bottling. In some places the oil production is selected and limited, making it a precious PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) food; no other seasoning can enhance the smell and taste of dishes as Tuscan oil does. Bear in mind that, during your stay at Podere Jana, you will be able to sample the typical products of the farm, including the PGI extra-virgin olive oil: the farms producing PGI products – where PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication – must follow the strict rules set in the specifications, observance of which is guaranteed by a specific inspection body.

Among the typical products deserving to be mentioned there is the white truffle of San Miniato, one of the finest and rarest truffles (San Miniato is located in the province of Pisa, at about 15 kilometres from Vinci). The white truffle is regulated by strict specifications and a regional law defining the ways it must be picked and sold, and represents a source of pride for the best restaurants worldwide (once they manage to buy it and offer it to the customers). This delicious product of the Tuscan lands has a very short seasonality, coinciding with the three months of October, November and December. Its price per kg is 4 thousand Euros. It is no coincidence that it is called “the diamond of the earth” or “the white gold”.