Tuscany’s best food & drink

Andrea Slitti is one of the most respected artisan chocolate-makers in Italy. His base is the spa town of Monsummano Terme (in the middle Tuscany’s so-called ‘Chocolate Valley’), where he has a café and shop piled with a tempting array of his products.

The Bolgheri region was where the first so-called ‘Super-Tuscan’ wine was made in the 1980s, and it continues to be exported around the world. The village of Bolgheri is postcard pretty; wine estates to visit include Ornellaia (book well ahead), Podere Sapaio and Le Macchiole.

Home to some of Italy’s best wines, the DOCG Chianti Classico stretches across 177,500 acres of undulating, vine-striped land between Florence and Siena.

Colle Val d’Elsa Food writer/blogger and photographer Giulia Scarpaleggia and her husband run the excellent ‘Jul’s Kitchen’ offering a range of hands-on cooking classes alongside courses in food writing and photography. Classes are held in their house in the countryside between Siena and Florence.

An excellent cooking school based in Certaldo (southwest of Florence) offering truffle-hunting experiences in the Chianti woods, followed by a truffle-based lunch or cooking lessons with truffles.

Seasonal fruit, local ingredients and organic milk, cream and eggs are the mainstays of this artisanal ice cream. Flavours vary with the seasons, but look out for the sinful De Bondt chocolate and candied orange peel and the pistachio ice creams, and the refreshing Sicilian-style granitas (almond, maybe) in summer.

Dondoli has earned world-wide acclaim for the quality of its gelato, made from seasonal ingredients and the best local eggs, milk and cream. High season queues are insane, but it’s worth persisting to try unusual flavours such as Santa Fina (saffron and pine nuts) and Champelmo (pink grapefruit and champagne).

Known for its highly-prized (and often expensive) DOCG Brunello wine, Montalcino is one of the most famous wine-growing areas in Tuscany. Many of the local wine estates are open for tastings; among the best are Casato Primedonne, Casanova di Neri, Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo and Castello di Banfi. Visits must be booked in advance.

The Chiarentana Estate lies in a magical setting overlooking the Val d’Orcia to Monte Amiata and produces superb Extra Virgin olive oil. Book a tasting in advance or drop by to purchase oil. Many of the wine estates in Chianti also produce excellent olive oil

Located a minute’s walk from Piazza del Campo and occupying a former grocer’s shop with a retro vibe, Le Logge is a classic osteria. They offer a creative take on regional dishes such as tagliatelle with Tuscan ragu, stuffed rabbit with blueberries, black garlic and fermented carrot and braised beef cheek.

A historic cafe and pastry shop that’s been around for almost a century. It’s a great place to sample and buy panforte (the dense, flat cake made with nuts, dried fruit, spices and honey) and light, almond-y Ricciarelli biscuits.

Salty ewe’s cheese or pecorino is found in different regions of Italy, but is synonymous with Pienza in Tuscany. Available from soft, mild milky-white ‘fresco’ versions to the aged, hard much stronger ‘stagionato’ varieties.

Set in glorious countryside close to Pienza, this farm produces pecorino cheese and runs courses in cheese, bread, pizza and fresh pasta-making, alongside more generic cooking classes and truffle-hunting. There’s also an excellent restaurant with menus based on local organic ingredients.

Colle Val d’Elsa Gaetano Trovato has been showcasing local Tuscan ingredients in his elegant restaurant for forty years; dishes such as scampi with pumpkin and ginger and pigeon with grape must and pears have earned him two Michelin stars. A place to push the boat out.

Siena’s principal market, held each Wednesday morning, is one of the best in Tuscany. Stalls are set up at La Lizza, filling the streets around the Fortezza. Apart from excellent produce (cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil and wines, fruit and vegetables), you’ll find clothing, shoes, bags and household items.

Learn about these extraordinary tubers – the most highly prized of Tuscany’s rich food harvest – on an expert-led truffle hunt in traditional Tuscan countryside. Hunts are often combined with truffle-based lunches or cooking lessons with truffles.