The Tuscan Christmas
Christmas Day celebrations in Tuscany have a special resonance. This is a day that is steeped in religious symbolism, but also one that is dominated by an abundance of hearty, flavoursome dishes that speak of both territory and season. Christmas lunch usually begins shortly after midday and will often extend into the early evening. For Tuscans, Christmas is a time for family, good friends, good times and, of course, good food.
Nowhere is the essence of Tuscany better expressed than in its cuisine, and at no time is that cuisine more completely represented than at the Christmas table. A Tuscan Christmas meal is a culmination of everything, and the best that Tuscan cuisine has to offer. It is a meal that broadly reflects not only a Tuscan way of eating but, perhaps more importantly, a Tuscan way of life.
KICK-START THE CELEBRATION
The same principles that are applied to Tuscan cuisine on a daily basis are applied to the Tuscan Christmas menu. It’s fitting that crostini, made from pane raffermo (leftover ‘stale bread’), are usually served to kick-start the celebration. After all, the Tuscan resourcefulness for using leftovers doesn’t diminish just because it’s a feast day. But to highlight the occasion, the crostini are served with a generous platter of typical cured meats – some of which may well have been aging since as long ago as the previous winter.
Tuscans eat much less pasta than their compatriots in other parts of Italy. Whereas in neighbouring Emilia-Romagna it would not be out of place to serve three pasta courses on Christmas Day, the Tuscans generally make do with one. However, the classic fresh egg pasta of the region, will generally be made to mark the occasion. This will be served with a rich, slow-cooked sauce – often made from wild duck, hare or boar, reflecting the
