One of the best ways to get to know a country and its people better, is by trying the food there, and anyone that intends to travel to Florence will be faced with a variety of local specialties. Below, are some cheap and affordable dishes that can be tasted during a trip to Florence.
If Florence had a signature dish, it would be Lampredotto. Sold throughout the city on mobile stands, it has been an important part of Florentine tradition for centuries, and Tuscany Holidays would certainly not be complete without trying it. So, what is Lampredotto? Basically, it is a tripe sandwich!
This distinctive street food may sound at first unappealing to those people on Tuscany holidays, but is far tastier than might be thought possible. In fact, most tourists who travel to Florence become quickly converted into fans of this specialty, and make it a regular lunchtime meal! The stands offer several versions of the dish, with Lampredotto being the final part of the cows stomach, that has been stewed for several hours. La Trippa is the part found between the cows stomach and oesophagus, popper is the udder and nervetti are tendons. All of these dishes are delicious, but for a gentler introduction into eating from the Florence tripe stands, some might prefer to try bollito which is simply boiled beef. Traditionally, all the above are served in a sandwich or panini.
Florence offers several other local specialties, and one of those is Frittelle di riso. Traditionally, this is made on the 19th March for the feast of St Joseph, or the Italian Fathers Day. It may be possible to find stands and small restaurants that sell it throughout the year though, and ingredients such as rice, sultanas, milk, egg, rum and lemon zest are combined to make fritters which have a delicious aroma.
Another tasty street food that might appeal to people taking a trip to Florence on a budget is Panini with Porchetta. This tasty sandwich contains slices of pork which have been roasted, salted, and stuffed with garlic and spices. The best place to find these are in the central market in San Lorenzo, where there are a number of delicatessen’s to choose from.
Finally, anyone looking for a treat, might like to try Gelato. Although described as an ice cream, it is in fact much richer, tastier and smoother, and although traditionally eaten during the early evening, they taste great at any time of day! Whilst restaurants may offer Gelato on their menus, these are normally mass produced versions. For original flavours made with recipes passed down through the generations, it is best experienced in a Gelateria. One tip – Although cones offer one way of eating it, it is perhaps best done in a coppa or cup.
A trip to Florence offers the chance to not only see one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but also the opportunity to sample some cuisine unique to the city and area. Additionally, eating at the street stalls is much more affordable than dining in restaurants, and means that Tuscany holidays need not be too expensive.
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