Tuscany Archives - Curious Appetite

Visiting Centro Pecci and Where to Eat in Prato

October 25, 2016 / Italy, Prato, Tuscany / 5 Comments

Tuscany is surprising me a lot recently, the moment I declare “this region is stuck in the past”, I soon after eat my words. Most recent consumption of minced words was at the re-opening of Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art aka Centro Pecci in Prato. The Pecci has been around for quite some time, since 1988 to be exact and has been a unique hub for collecting contemporary art.

Local English-language newspaper The Florentine covered the opening best. As quoted from a recent feature: “The Pecci was the first institution in Italy to be built from scratch with the specific intent to exhibit, collect, preserve, document and distribute research on contemporary art.”

This October, they unveiled their completed architectural spaceship-like renovation 10 years in the making and 14.4 million euros later. Thanks to the buzz in the local media surrounding Centro Pecci’s re-opening, I’m sure Prato will be getting a little more visitors. Continue Reading →

Bring Florence home with Florentine (the cookbook)

June 9, 2016 / Florence, Florence, Italy, Recipes, Tuscany / 0 comment

You need this book. Publisher: Hardie Grant

If you love Florence, chances are you also love the food. I mean, I can’t think of better moments than devouring something delicious like a truffle panini at Procacci with a glass of prosecco along tragically fashionable Via Tornabuoni or sitting elbow to elbow at a bustling trattoria, wolfing down ribollita, bistecca and chianti immersed in old world soul. This city, with all its imperfections, really leaves an impression on every single person who visits. And if it doesn’t, that person isn’t awake to little joys of life. You live here (like me) because you love the lifestyle. Part of that romanticism comes from the food. Continue Reading →

10 reasons to visit Florence (for more than 3 days)

May 6, 2016 / Florence, Italy, Travel Tips, Tuscany / 2 Comments

Forgive my obvious bias, to this tiny gem of a city. However, it’s pretty common for the average traveler to visit Florence for only 3 days. I did a quick investigation on google search terms for Florence, and one of the most common queries is “what to do in Florence in 3 days.” I understand, there is a big world to see and only so many vacation days to do it.

But have you considered giving Florence more than just 3 shakes and 3 wishes? Continue Reading →

How to use truffles in the kitchen

November 20, 2015 / Italy, Quick Food Guides, Recipes, Tuscany, What's in Season / 1 Comment

Besides just going at it and stuffing your face with these aromatic, umami nuggets of gold- I have a couple ideas for how to use truffles in the kitchen.

Last weekend, I headed over to the truffle festival in San Miniato with Girl in Florence, her hubby-to-be and met up with one of our foodie idols, Emiko Davies. Wow, that’s a lot of name dropping but I must give cred since Emiko and her sommelier master hubby (sounds like a team!) organized a rather decadent day for us and it wouldn’t have been possible without either of them for the truffle-y goods I got my paws on. Continue Reading →

What’s in Season Fall 2015 (Florence, Italy)

October 12, 2015 / Florence, Italy, Local/Organic, Quick Food Guides, Seasonal, Tuscany, What's in Season / 1 Comment

It’s so fun to peruse outdoor markets and I personally love the change of seasons, smelling tasting and exploring the new goodies on the block.

I usually hit up the Sant’Ambrogio market for just about everything. Especially meat from the butchers inside the market and fresh, dirt cheap veggies. It’s also not very touristy thanks to uber-touristy, kitschy Mercato San Lorenzo that keeps Sant’Ambrogio pretty real. I do love San Lorenzo for cheap eats and the foodie oasis within- just not my cup of tea for produce shopping. Although the Sant’Ambrogio market is starting to be inundated with vendors and not farmers, you can still experience a slice of Italian life with a shop through this market. There are some farmers still around (and definitely none at San Lorenzo) and it’s a modest reminder of how Italians live and eat in normal circumstances. Continue Reading →