A taste of Italy: Florence 7

After such a nice meal the night before, we decided to return to our backstreet trattoria, I Tarocchi. This time though we splashed out on the full litre of wine.

This time I had the ribollita stew and Christian had a salad made with spicy rocket leaves, chopped walnuts and slices of creamy pecorino cheese served with a drizzle of honey.

This time we had pizza - Christian had spicy salami (pepperoni in any other country, but here it's called bascio) and I had mine folded over into a calzone filled with artichokes, mushrooms, ham and mozzarella.

This time the bill came to €38. And this time I had left my wallet in the hotel!

I stayed at the table in case I needed to explain the delay, with visions of doing the dishes or flinging the pizza dough. Christian came back 15 minutes later breathless, cold and flush with cash. We handed the cash over to Mama on the till, who had been oblivious to our drama. I was going to leave a tip but she made a point of fishing out exact change, so I took it to buy more ice cream.

Nothing like a delicious meal with a heaping helping of embarrassment! Time to go home, but first some more photos from around the streets of Florence.


Oh, and in case you're wondering, no - we didn't see THE David. There are three in town: the original which is now in a gallery, a marble copy standing where the original once stood outside the town hall and a bronze copy stood on a hill across the river (above). We had to leave some things for our next trip!

That's the Florence trip, stayed tuned for more travels and tips.

A taste of Italy: Florence 6

Shall we forget the statues, canvasses, frescoes and piazzas for a minute in favour of something everyone will enjoy....ice cream!

Italians have always made the best ice cream: the Romans invented it (using snow) and according to legend the Florentines perfected the recipe.

Italian gelati is one-of-a-kind because the best ones will be:-

1. Made from eggs, which naturally thickens its consistency;
2. Free of any artificial ingredients, emulsifiers or colours;
3. Thick and dense, not whipped with air;
4. Served out of a special metal tray or tub, which ensures that it is semi-frozen (gooey).

In the shadow of the cathedral's bell tower we found Grom, an organic gelateria which promises 'il gelato come una volta' (a return to the ice cream you used to eat). It was a bit difficult to pick our flavours, because the ice cream is hidden under the lids of metal tubs. Judging by the labels, about a third of their offerings that day were variations of chocolate which is what Christian had, but I went for scoops of apple and pear gelati. Two scoops in a sugar cone cost only €2.

Our last full day in Florence was nearly over, so it was time to admire the view as the sun set. There are only two proper viewpoints, both next to other: either atop the cathedral's bell tower or from its dome, which is ever so slightly higher up. In both cases, you are putting your trust in engineering works which are about 600 years old. And neither one has a lift, in case you're wondering!

We decided on climbing the 278-foot belltower, in order to be able to look at the cathedral. We bought our tickets and began the climb, quickly realising that the stairs accommodated two-way traffic on the same steps. At first this was not a problem, but in places we were crammed against the wall as dozens of gasping Americans housewives, vertigo-stricken Japanese students and Italians in their puffed-up padded jackets squeezed down. Oh, and the occasional hyperventilating claustrophobe.

Every few flights there was an open terrace for 360-degree views and the chance to catch our breath, until we conquered all 414 steps to the very top. Our first sight was the First Aid station with a guard sitting in a booth, her feet propped up on top of a heater, no doubt with a private escalator hidden behind her.

I think we made the right choice going up the belltower. Look at the cupola of the dome - see how low and flimsy the railing is?

From this angle we could pick out lots of details on the cathedral...



...plus enjoy expansive views over the city. Here are a few churches...


...and this is the town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio.

Plus there were interesting shadows on the belltower's walls, cast by the patterns in the stonework.

From above you can see how most of the buildings have flats and gardens on top of them, set back so they can't be seen from the street.

All this climbing has made me hungry...!

A taste of Italy: Florence 5

Years ago it was Florence's jail and the site of executions, but today the Bargello is the city's best sculpture museum with works by Michelangelo, Donatello and Giambologna.

I was allowed some snaps in the courtyard (site of the aforementioned executions)...



...but inside they were a bit more strict about the 'no photography' rule, so you'll have to take my word for it that Donatello's bronze of David is looking quite spiffy for its 580 years after its recent clean.

Another highlight of the museum are some of the entries for the new doors the city leaders commissioned in 1401 for one of their oldest buildings, the baptistry next to the cathedral. The competition engaged the city's most talented artists who employed new techniques rarely seen before in Western art.

Here's a copy of one of the panels which made it to the baptistry's doors, with a remarkable level of depth and perspective.

It also had not occurred to artists before when depicting crowded scenes like this that each person should look different from one another and be made to interact with one another like real people. This emergence of individuality is one of the hallmarks of the Renaissance.

Elsewhere in the Bargello were rooms of coins, ceramics, miniature bronzes, cannon, carved ivory and tapestries but of all the museums we visited in Florence it seemed the most expensive considering in relation to what was on view. Four euros was a lot to pay for such a small museum.

On to the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, which you'll be pleased to hear is not a museum about opera. Phew! Instead, in Italian 'opera' means 'labour' and this is where you can find most of the artwork removed from the cathedral during its renovation along with models, tools and designs from the building of its dome.

This is the depository for the works stripped out of the sanctuary, along with most of the cathedral's exterior sculptures and friezes. Because these were meant to be seen from the ground, at eye-level the proportions sometimes look a bit odd, but it was a rare opportunity to see something like this up close.

The highlights of any visit are Michelangelo's Pieta and Donatello's Mary Magdalene.

This isn't THE Pieta (the more famous one of his is in the Vatican in Rome - see the photo at left and squint), as 'pieta' is a generic word that refers to the descent of Christ from the cross. In this version, Nicodemus is holding the body of Jesus. Michelangelo never finished the statue and in a fit of temper broke bits of it off with his hammer, so it remains rough around the edges. Look close at the face of Nicodemus though, because it's Michelangelo's self-portrait.

The figure of Mary Magdalene is striking for two reasons. First, she is carved out of wood instead of marble, and she is stood draped in nothing but her own matted hair. Apparently she spent a spell in the wilderness and let herself go a bit. The statue fell victim to Florence's great flood in the 1960s when she was found waist-deep in mud and following restoration she seems to be enjoying her 2nd floor perch in the museum.

Enough sculptures, how about lunch?!

We opted for another back street hideaway, this time Trattoria Pallotino, which promised a 2-course lunch for €8.50. When I asked to see what that entailed, the waitress sent for the headwaiter who came over with a pad of paper on which the chef had written down that day's menu. From what I could pick out with my limited Italian, our choice of starter was either pasta, soup or salad to be followed by roast pork, an omelette or... something with beans.

Christian had the penne pasta in a tomato sauce then a spinach omelette, while I had a bean stew and large slabs of toasted ciabatta, one covered in tomatoes and the other with a bean salad. By the time we added a bottle of water, small carafe of wine, some bread and the obligatory coperto (cover charge), our €17 lunch turned out to cost us €28. A bit dear, but again all the food was fresh and tasty. If you're interested, the address is Via dell'Isola delle Stinche, 50122, Firenze.

Now, did someone say it was time for...ice cream?!

A taste of Italy: Florence 4

After our less than impressive visit to the Uffizi, I wondered if Italian religious art is better viewed in situ (in other words, in a church). I put my theory to the test with a visit to Santa Croce, one of the many churches in Florence which charge admission to casual visitors. I thought of flashing a rosary and pleading free entry as a pilgrim when I saw the €5 per head fee, but it turned out to be worth it.

Unlike the Duomo, which has been stripped back and redesigned in a clinical fashion, here the walls remain covered with frescoes and we could hardly take a step without tripping over a monument. The graves of Galileo, Machiavelli and Michelangelo are here.

There are a series of chapels filled with fine decoration.

The former cloisters now house room after room of carvings, drawings, sketches...

...plus sculptures and paintings.This gleaming canvas by Bronzino with an athletic Christ striding through Limbo is one of my favourites of the trip.

The painting is enormous...

...and dominates the old refrectory where the residents of the church would have dined, overlooked by walls showing cheerful scenes...

...like women being eaten by demons. More tea, Father?

And as for this one...

...I'd love to know what she was smoking. Like all my photos, you can click on it for a larger version.

Time for more sculpture...on to the Bargello!

A taste of Italy: Florence 3

It came as a surprise to learn that Florence has a tapas tradition. Though of course, this being Tuscany, they are not called tapas but rather aperitivo and (best of all) they come free with your evening drink.

During the day we passed a number of restaurants that had come recommended. Instead of going somewhere in the guidebook, I had browsed a few websites, travel forums, etc to find word-of-mouth type places. I mapped these with Google, printed that off and took photos of the menus as we passed by so I could compare prices and do a translatation with my phrasebook. How 2009 can you get?!

First stop of the evening was an enotecha, or wine bar. Unlike wine bars in Britain, in Italy you'll find these are shops (delis, almost) which sell wine by day and become nightspots after dark. Our pick was Note di Vino, which was about the size of our wardrobe, its walls lined with fine wine, olive oil and vinegar (some going for €100 a bottle - the vinegar even, not the wine).

There were about three tables to choose from and we settled down in the corner and asked for 2 glasses of Vino Nobile. At €6.50 a pop, each glass cost more than most bottles we buy back home, but it was delicious and we were promised free nibbles.

Sure enough they had some crostini (ciabatta bread with various toppings) on the bar. One was straightforward: olive oil, tomato, garlic and basil in the best simple Italian tradition. Another was smeared with something that looked like dog food...smelt like dog food...and turned out to be a mild pâté. I steered clear of the one prickly with fish bones, but Christian had a go. It turned out to be salted cod, but it was so salty he necked back most of his wine: 'My lips are burning!'

Aside from the singed extremities, it was a classy start to the evening, with smooth jazz and smoother wine. It did occur to me though as we left that we had just spent 13 quid on two half-empty glasses of wine and a couple slices of toast.

Next stop was Pizzeria I Tarocchi across the river in a residential district, down a back street and a long way away from the Ponte Vecchio and other tourist landmarks. It was a simple restaurant with benches instead of chairs and no tablecloths or candles. At the back someone was rolling out pizza dough, though I didn't spot them flinging it into the air. It felt like a family operation with Mama on the till reading her paper and gossiping with the diners, almost all of whom were locals.

Florence is famous for its ribollita, a bean and cabbage stew thickened with bread that went down a treat on this cold winter's evening. This was Christian's choice for a starter, while I had pear ravioli in a gorgonzola sauce. It sounds odd putting fruit in a pasta parcel, but the sweetness of the pear cut through the bitterness of the cheese in a delicious combination. We both had roast pork and potatoes for the main course (a bit salty but filling), plus a half litre of the house red. At first we resisted dessert, until Christian was talked into a tiramisu and I had panna cotta with a burnt sugar glaze.

Full-scre Altogether it cost €48, which was great value for three courses of fresh food with wine and attentive service in a place buzzing with locals. The address if you're interested was 12/14 Via de Renai, 50125 Firenze.

Coming back we walked back into town via the Ponte Vecchio and gaped at some of the aperitivo offerings in some of the bars in town. Some looked like full buffets with salad, couscous, boiled eggs and all sorts piled high.

As you will have gathered by now, I had not taken any photos during the evening, so I've sprinkled in some photos from around Florence instead.

Oh, and would you like my panna cotta recipe? It's one of the nicest things you can do with slivers of boiled horse hoof, pig ears and cowhide!

To make the panna cotta you'll need...

3 gelatine leaves (mmm, animal collagen)
250ml milk
250ml double cream
25g sugar
50ml limoncello liqueur

First, soften the gelatine leaves in cold water. In the meantime, simmer the milk on the hob or in the microwave until it's nice and hot (but not boiling). Drain the gelatine leaves and squeeze out the excess water, then pop these into the milk so they melt down.

Next, pour the cream, sugar and liqueur into a pan and bring slowly to a boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, take off the heat and pour in the milk. Prepare a suitable serving dish (or individual pots) by rinsing in ice-cold water and drying off. Pour the milk and cream mixture into your molds and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours (you're best doing all this the day before).

Now you'll want a sauce. What I do is take a knob of butter and 50g of sugar and melt these on a low heat. I add 150g chopped strawberries or raspberries, the juice of half a lemon and a few grinds of the pepper mill. Break the berries down into a syrup, then pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. This can be poured onto the panna cotta after you dish it up the next day, or you can do what I do and pour this into the panna cotta while it's still warm. Stir a bit and the syrup will give the panna cotta a marbled effect.

Buon appetito!