Castellina in Chianti, Siena, IT – 4/20/16 – Querceto di Castellina

The setting of Querceto di Castellina is exactly what one imagines Tuscany to look and feel like.  After a tour of the property we enjoyed this fantastic lunch and tasting on the porch with an absolutely beautiful view.  Perhaps it was somewhat influenced by the setting, but the lasagna was absolutely perfect, as was the rest of our meal but that lasagna I’m still thinking about weeks later.  And as chianti seems best paired with food, this was an even better tasting experience than just drinking chianti alone.  A big thank you to Mary for being such a wonderful hostess and you are very lucky that your future mother-in-law is such an amazing cook.  I only wish we had taken more rose with us as it did not last very long!  Such a absolutely memorable day.





Panzano in Chianti – 4/19/16 – Officina Della Bistecca

I really never thought I would ever make it to the very tiny town of Panzano in Chianti to visit Officina della Bistecca. I have been lucky enough to attend a few events in NYC with Dario Cecchini and had always hoped to make it here, but it just always seemed too far out of the way. Luckily the stars aligned and I found myself here for perhaps the most fun lunch I have ever experienced. I believe I am missing photos of a few courses although the photos do not do this justice in the same way that some of the best bands live do not sound nearly as good recorded. As expected the meat was fantastic and for the first time since arriving in Tuscany several days earlier I came to appreciate Chianti. And if there were no witnesses I would have finished the entire olive oil cake.

Beef tartar
Seared rump carpaccio
Bone-in rib eye or strip steak
Panzanese steak
T-bone or Porterhouse steak
Garden vegetables
special salt
Tuscan beans with evoo
baked potatoes
Chianti “butter”
Tuscan bread
Vittorio’s wine
Evoo cake
Grappa
(Approximate names as the cuts are particular to Tuscany)







Sffh