Tuscan Tales & Tips Archives • Cooking with Carlotta

TUSCAN FIRE: THE LEGEND OF THE STEAK

Carlotta Conti — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:47:31 +0000

In Florence, fire isn’t just for cooking—it’s a ritual. But who truly invented the steak? The answer lies in a centuries-old rivalry between Tuscany and England.

A Secret British History

Since the Middle Ages, Florence has been home to a thriving community of British merchants. Legend says that during the feast of San Lorenzo, English knights would shout “Beef Steak!” while tasting our meat over the embers.

We loved the sound of it, and the “Bistecca” was born. Was it a British gift or a Florentine masterpiece? In our hills, we believe it’s the best of both worlds.

Mastering the Flames

Authentic tradition requires no gas and no shortcuts. In our 200-year-old stone cottage, we follow the ancient way of the fire.

Wood and Embers

We use only real wood, burned slowly until the embers are perfect. This fierce heat sears the meat instantly, locking in the juices while creating that iconic smoky crust.

The Bread and the Fire

While the fire breathes, the ritual begins: a traditional aperitivo with our signature, steaming focaccia. It’s the perfect prelude to the main event.

Join the Legend

This is not a simple class; it’s an initiation into the soul of Florence. Experience the heat, the history, and the flavor of the real Tuscan fire.

[Join our Super Tuscan Fire Experience]

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🍝 The Italian Pasta Map: Flour, Eggs, and the Secrets of Tradition

Carlotta Conti — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:26:17 +0000

In Italy, pasta is much more than a dish; it’s a geographical and climatic map. If you travel from the snow-capped Alps of the North to the sun-drenched coasts of the South, you will discover that the “perfect dough” changes its soul according to the land it belongs to.

The Great Divide: Soft Wheat vs. Durum Wheat

The traditional distinction in Italian pasta-making is rooted in agriculture and climate:

The North (Soft Wheat & Eggs): In the humid plains of Northern Italy (like Emilia-Romagna), Grano Tenero(soft wheat) is the protagonist. For fresh pasta, we use Type 0 flour—it has the perfect balance of strength and elasticity to create a “Sfoglia” that is silky yet resilient. To give it richness, we add fresh eggs. This creates a porous, golden pasta, perfect for capturing rich meat sauces like Ragù.
The South (Durum Wheat & Water): In the hot, dry South (Puglia, Sicily, Campania), the king is Grano Duro(durum wheat). From this, we get Semola (semolina), which is coarser and amber-colored. Here, eggs were historically a luxury; semolina creates a strong, “al dente” dough with just water. Think of Orecchiette or Scialatielli: firm, textured, and smelling of sun-ripened grain.

Regional Exceptions: Buckwheat and Manitoba

Italy loves to break its own rules. In the Valtellina valley (Lombardy), the harsh climate led to the use of Buckwheat(Grano Saraceno). This “pseudo-cereal” gives life to Pizzoccheri: a dark, earthy, and rustic pasta that tells a story of mountain resilience.

And then there is Manitoba. While rarely used for pasta, this high-protein “strong” flour is essential in an Italian pantry for long-leavened doughs like bread or pizza, providing the structure needed for a slow, natural rise. Remember: Manitoba is for your weekend baking projects, not for your pasta board!

My Kitchen Evolution: From the “5kg Bag” to Precision

There is a secret about Italian homes: for decades, our approach to flour was much simpler. In my family, where we made endless cakes and pasta, we didn’t have ten different bags. We bought the classic 5kg bag of “00” flour and used it for everything.

Today, my awareness has changed. My pantry is now a collection of “specialists”:

Type 0: My go-to for fresh pasta, providing the right “bite.”
Type 00: Reserved strictly for delicate pastries and cakes.
Semola Rimacinata: For southern-style pasta or to add crunch to bread.
Manitoba: For bread and pizza (long leavening).
Buckwheat: For those rustic, traditional mountain recipes.

This modern obsession with flour types isn’t just a trend; it’s a return to respecting the ingredient. Choosing the right flour is the first step in honoring the heritage of the dish you are about to create.

Now that you’ve discovered the secrets of the Italian Pasta Map, why not put your knowledge to the test? Try making my Tagliatelle inspired by Lucrezia Borgia and see how the right flour transforms your dough!

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THE ROOTS OF ITALIAN CUISINE

Carlotta Conti — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 13:39:13 +0000

As our beloved Pellegrino Artusi claimed, “Cooking is a troublesome sprite”.

Clear of any more or less pleasant surprises that can happen to those who decide to measure themselves against the kitchen stove, there are some fundamental principles of Italian cuisine that we take for granted, that prove otherwise, especially if we compare them to foreign experiences.

Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well is not only the first cookbook for the families of a country recently united in the mid-19th century, but it marks another Florentine record, since it was printed here by the Bemporad publishing company (even if at the beginning of this adventure the Florentines were not very “pleasant” with my fellow countryman).

The title page of the book, ever-present in every Italian kitchen, often stained and tattered, introduces the rules of Italian cuisine that, to this day, we still abide by: cleanliness – thriftiness – good taste.

In Italy, the regulations on food safety and hygiene, both in distribution and food service, are the strictest in Europe, bearing in mind that the European Union has some of the highest standard’s in the world. The use of antibiotics for livestock, the use of pesticides in agriculture, and the hygiene controls in food production and distribution are extremely strict.

Comparing the allergen list that must be listed on food labels or on restaurant menus, Europe classifies fourteen of them, while the American FDA only recognises eight.

Italian cuisine includes an ample list of “leftover recipes” which, in addition to the traditional meatloaves and meatballs of Western cuisines, adds ingenious pan fried risottos, pasta frittatas, soups and desserts made with stale bread, in addition to frying breadcrumbs to use as a condiment for pasta (not to mention roast meat leftovers and pan juices to make fillings and sauces for mouth-watering stuffed pastas).

As for good taste, Italians are privileged to be surrounded by beauty and art. The relentless search for quality in every detail has led to the development of a kind of instinct and culture passed down from generation to generation of families, an ability to carefully combine foods and beverages, and select raw materials. Our dear Artusi warned us at the time “…always choose the finest ingredients as your raw materials, for these will you make you shine”.

Things have never changed since then; some years ago, the ambassador of Italian cuisine in the UK, Anna Del Conte, reaffirmed the cornerstones of Italian cuisine for her British readers, which she divided into the ten commandments-of-italian-cooking. Among them, the first commandment was the invitation to purchase the best ingredients possible.

What constantly amazes my foreign clients is the ability of Italian cuisine to create unique dishes, rich in flavour and character with very few ingredients. This is possible because the selection of excellent raw materials is combined with constant attention to the dish being prepared from start to finish, subtle seasoning and dosing of spices and herbs, and constant tasting and adjusting.

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