The Autumn Flavors of Tuscany

by Turid Emberland ~

I can safely say that autumn has reached Tuscany.

One of the tell-tell signs is when you hear irregular thumps on the ground, caused by chestnuts falling with force and intent. Only the bravest of the brave stay out there, collecting the nuts one by one – and it’s oh so worth it.

The days are cooler and we have gently packed away our summer wardrobes in cardboard boxes, stacking them away till next time.

The Norwegian in me is thrilled to feel this cold hit my nose, and to wrap the scarf two times around my neck not because I want to, but because I have to. This is something I’ve been longing for and now it’s here: the beautiful and cool autumn.

We are waiting in excitement for this weekend to arrive with its annual fungi and chestnut festival. Italians travel far and wide for this event to be able to enjoy the fruits of the forest in this very special time of year. The Italians love their traditions and have been celebrating the arrival of fungi and chestnuts for hundreds of years, and this year is no exception. There are many ways of using these ingredients and one of our favorites is roasting chestnuts on the open fire in the kitchen. I know it sounds like a cliché, and lets’ face it – it is. But cliché or not, this particular one tastes really, really good.

Fungi Porcini is popular this season and used generously in many dishes such as risotto, pizza, hearty soups and Italian stromboli. Questa è la stagione per mangiare!

Another main event in the autumn is the big harvest. Harvesting of wine grapes in mid October and the olive harvest in November. Our neighbor produces excellent wine from his estate in Montecucco, an area perfect for growing Sangiovese grapes. This soil is very calcareous and rich in limestone, with the vines facing south. We were lucky enough to taste the product straight from the barrel, and now we are just waiting for him to bottle up, so we can start a tasteful collection of precious Montecucco wine.

The harvest is taking place all over Italy, and you can easily pick up the sweet scent of grapes being crushed if you drive along the countryside one Sunday morning.

There is another type of harvest going on during autumn in Tuscany, and this one is also very flavorsome…

A few mornings ago we woke up from gunshots in the woods. The hunting season is on and wild boar is on the menu. I have had a couple of close encounters with live wild boar in the woods, and let’s just say; eating them is far more pleasurable. It’s one of our favorite things to eat in the winter, and nothing beats the wild boar stew in Pienza. It is wild and rich in flavor and should be eaten with fresh, unsalted local bread. We always return very hungry and leave very happy.

I am glad we stacked the wood last month, so we can enjoy the benefits of it now. When you live in a 500 years old house, there is something truly special about opening up the woodshed and seeing the wood, neatly stacked – one by one, side by side. We rely on the wood the heat the entire house, and it becomes a daily chore in order to survive here on the volcano.

There is something truly special about collecting twigs and nuts, fungi and berries, and it’s easy to have a close relationship with nature when you rely on it.

The autumn is here, and we are prepared.