An introduction to the food of Tuscany, highlighting key ingredients, traditional dishes and desserts, and cities to visit.

While the language of the Etruscans may have all but disappeared, their earthy cuisine lives on in the quintessentially Italian region of Tuscany. Italy is one part of the world where the saying "eat locally" suits most folks. Each region has its own unique cuisine, and Tuscany is a good starting point for exploring the best in Italian food.

Basic Ingredients

A look at the Tuscan countryside reveals some of the key ingredients in local cooking: olive groves with their silvery sheen, fairytale forests of chestnut trees, hillsides blanketed in grape vines, angelic sheep lolling among ruins, fragrant rosemary and sage bushes lining gardens.

Tuscan cooking is simple and seasonal, without the heavy sauces found in other regions. Eschewing butter, Tuscans use olive oil generously for cooking, dressing salad, dipping bread, and flavoring soups. Indeed, olive oil is often the star of the gastronomic show, and Tuscan oils are highly prized.

In addition to olive oil, no Tuscan pantry is complete without the following staples: sage, rosemary, thyme, chestnuts, pecorino cheese, beans, prosciutto, and bread. Many dishes center on vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, fennel, peas, and wild mushrooms, so vegetarians will feel right at home.

Nonetheless, Tuscany is known for its bistecca all fiorentina, a thickly cut steak cooked over coals and flavored with only olive oil, salt, and pepper. Most of the meat dishes on a Tuscan menu contain wild game. Duck, rabbit, and wild boar are popular, as is tripe. While Tuscans enjoy many cheeses, pecorino, made from sheep's milk, is king.

Favorite Meals

Tuscans prefer simple country dishes. One of the most common is that rustic gem ribollita, which translates to "reboiled." This hearty, slowly cooked soup consists primarily of stale bread, cabbage, and Tuscan white beans called cannelini.

Other traditional recipes include:

• Bruschette: grilled bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil
• Panzanella: bread salad with tomatoes and basil
• Pappa al pomodoro: deeply flavored tomato soup thickened with bread
• Fagioli al fiasco: beans simmered in an empty Chianti bottle over charcoal
• Fagioli all'uccelletto: beans seasoned with tomatoes, garlic, and sage
• Pici: thick, spaghetti-like pasta generally served with a light sauce
• Pappardelle all leper: wide, flat pasta with a sauce made of braised hare

A Sweet Finish

Tuscan desserts also rely on the simplest of ingredients that, when combined, produce surprisingly rich results. A favorite is Siena's panforte, which means "strong bread." This round, dense cake is flavored with almonds, candied fruit, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Enjoyed year round, panforte is most popular during Christmas.

Often, dessert is eaten with a sweet wine. Tuscany's most famous is Vin Santo, served with biscotti for dipping. But the most admired wine from the region, in fact the whole country, is Chianti, a robust red wine traditionally bottled in a basket-covered flask.

Florence and Siena

While traveling through Tuscany, it is important to note that traditional dishes will vary by town. Every restaurant has its own version of ribollita, some requiring a fork instead of a spoon, and sampling the local Chianti at each stop is a must. For those who cannot devote the time it takes to truly appreciate the varieties of Tuscan cuisine, Florence and Siena are two culinary hotspots that satisfy taste buds as well as curiosity about the delectable food of this region.