The Cuisine of Tuscany

It is the basic peasant dishes that have defined the traditional cuisine of Tuscany most clearly. Fragrant local olive oil, for example, has always been chosen as the main cooking fat instead of the more expensive options of butter or pork fat. Along the coast, full use has always been made of the daily fish and shellfish catch, with the port city of Livorno leading the way with its fantastic fish soup, cacciucco. What is still evident throughout Tuscany is the historical continuity and respect for the classic dishes, with each area maintaining its unique specialities and local culinary traditions.