Wednesday, June 4, 2014

La Fiorentina


Da Muzzicone, Castiglion Fiorentino, Arezzo

Just came across these photo's from May 2013 and thought that it was necessary to dedicate post to La Fiorentina (Tuscan Porterhouse T-Bone Steak)

If the restaurant is a serious place the waiter will come show you the cut of meat
and ask for your approval, and if it's big enough...and it always is!


A couple times a year I get this incredible craving for a great steak. 
Living in the landlocked region of Umbria the specialty is pork, but in Tuscany the specialty is cow, and what a cow it is…or was.
Graziano introduced me to La Fiorentina (Florentine t-bone steak) in about 2006 and ever since then it has been worked into my diet a couple times a year.  I love to make a day of it and drive out to Tuscany for lunch, never on a Friday though, Friday is for fish.
a little antipasti plate

One of the first places I believe that I ever ate La Fiorentina was at a classic restaurant in Castiglion Fiorentino called Da Muzzicone.  
hot spot
On Sunday afternoons it’s packed with happy Italian families enjoying a wonderful lunch at huge long tables filled with tons of food and the pink Fiorentina.

In Tuscany the Fiorentina usually comes from the beautiful white Chianina cow.  It’s cooked on a wood or charcoal burning grill until rare served immediately. 
our steaks in grilling line up
The traditional Fiorentina is served quite rare and I love it!  The meat when good is aged to perfection, and there is no blood on the plate.  The best t-bones come with the filet, which is the smaller part of meat on one side of the t-bone. 
grilled to perfection!

The usual condiment is coarse sea salt and extra virgin olive oil and sometimes some rosemary. 
this Morellino was quite good

everyone was so inspired, and the kids were still hungry
so we ordered a tagliata al rosmarino e pepe verde
My favorite wine pairing is a serious Chianti Classico Riserva or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello’s good too, but I prefer an easy drinking wine with this plate.

our table

On this occasion we brought our friends from Virginia who were living in Umbria. 

desert, cantucci & vin santo
They really enjoyed it and so did we.  Great meal, great company, great memories.