Bistecca Fiorentina

Ian writes: vegetarians may look away now. One of the most famous Tuscan dishes is the Bistecca Fiorentina. The meat comes from one of the oldest breeds of cattle, the Chianina. I took this photograph yesterday in a field nearby my house; it’s quite rare to see them grazing in the fields as they are kept indoors for much of the year.

Chianina

So where to try some of these excellent steaks? The Festival of the Steak in Cortona (14–15 August) sees a huge grill constantly on the go and the chefs with super-long forks sweat away to produce finely cooked T-bone steaks. Think of it as a BBQ on a city-wide scale – all done with typical Italian style.

Missed the meatfest? Try the Logge Vasari restaurant in Arezzo. Cooked with a Brunello sauce it simply melts in your mouth. Buon appetito!