And we are off....

Tomorrow we are heading off to Chianti to go to Radda in Chianti and Panzano. Panzano is the home of Antica Macelleria Cecchini, one of the most famous butcher shops in all of Italy. After that, we are headed off to Certaldo (about 40 min north of Siena) for the Festa della Bistecca and Fungo Porcino. The sign below has been all over Siena for the past week and we are definitely looking forward to going. As you can see, you can get fried or grilled porcini mushrooms, and either a bistecca (which is about the size of your plate) or tagliata (which is sliced meat). Tagliata comes from the Italian word tagliatare which means to cut. Last week up in Montalcino we saw a bistecca that someone had ordered and not only was it huge (2+ inches thick but it was rare as it could come). I think I'll be having the tagliata!

This is a blurb from a newspaper article about the festa:

In Certaldo, a beautiful town in the Chianti countryside, next to Florence, starts the Beefsteak and porcino mushroom festival (Sagra della bistecca e del fungo porcino) from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September 2007.

A chanche to taste the very good barbecued meat in this beautiful village in the green Chianti countryside along with the most appreciated italian mushroom: an entire menu based on the porcino with courses like the tortelli with mushrooms, the fiorentina steak with porcini, and so on...

Where: Centro Polivalente, spazio sagre - viale Matteotti
The festival will be repeated from 28th to 30th September and from 5th to 7th October 2007.
Info:
Centro polivalente Certaldo
Ph.: +39 0571667349

We probably wont have much time for the internet or possibly even an internet connection the next week. We are trying to plan a train trip up to Genoa as well while we are in that region to have some yummy pesto!

A few pictures from Siena taken tonight.......



This is a picture of Monte de Paschi di Siena, the oldest bank in Italy. It is always lit up at night.