Tuscan Herbs used in The Discover Tuscany Kitchen
The rain in spring that graces the region of Tuscany – the cultural and historical heart of Italy – brings with it a multitude of colors, the rebirth of the vineyards and the promise of fresh fruit and spicy perfumes. Each step into the Tuscan countryside, private courtyards in Tuscany, Chianti vineyards and olive groves brings forth new flavours, new colors and new life. The traditional Tuscan cuisine and cooking style followed the bloom of the fruits and vegetables of the season . . . adding the ever present wealth of flavour from standard herbs and spices.
Rosemary in Tuscan cooking lessons
Seen above is the Tuscan rosemary bush blossoming with it’s small blue/purple flowers. Here are just a few fun facts about Tuscan Rosemary:
The name derives from the Latin word ros maris, translated as dew of the sea, in fact it is native to the Mediterranean area. (In fact it is found in many Mediterranean cooking lesson dishes, especially in Tuscany).
It is believed to be the bush that sheltered the Holy Family on their flight to Egypt. We have heard it said, that the Blessed Mother throw her cloak over the bush turning its white flowers into blue flowers and thus gaining the name Rose Mary.
As the Discover Tuscany Team demonstrates in its one day Cooking Lesson , it is used in many Tuscan recipes. In fact, rosemary is a common herb in the Tuscan kitchen and the Discover Tuscany cooking lessons. You will find it chopped and used to marinate meats and potatoes. In our Tuscan style cooking lessons, you will always find the traditional Rosemary, Sage and Garlic potatoes as well as a delicious Tuscan Pork roast flavoured with Rosemary, Sage, Garlic, and then cooked in Tuscan olive oil and red wine – and depending on the season grapes or peaches.
Tuscan wine is as fragrant as Tuscan roses
The two things which you can find around almost every corner in Tuscany are statues and memories to the Blessed Mother and rose bushes, which interestingly enough can have legends and mythology that combine the two together. Today in Tuscany and many other places throughout Italy and the world, pink roses stand for gentle emotions and sweet thoughts, as well as a symbol for innocent young love that has yet to bloom into a full-blown romance.
Combining these two cherished objects of Tuscany, has produced this story for meaning of the pink rose can be found in the story of a mother’s ultimate love and devotion for her child. Legend says that when Mother Mary first saw her son Jesus walking up to Calvary Hill, struggling to carry the cross where he would eventually be nailed to, the first tear that slid down her cheeks landed on barren soil.
Riding through the Tuscan back roads, admiring rows and rows of promising Tuscan grapes, one also notices the colourful heads of each row. In centuries past, roses were planted with vines because the rose plants were sensitive to some of the things that afflict wines - black rot, bugs, etc. If the rose bush was suffering, it was time to break out preventative measures.
Another favorite Tuscan herb in the kitchen
and in our Discover Tuscany Cooking Lessons is sage, in fact Sage is also common in all of Italian cooking. Perhaps the most classic recipe for Sage is sautéed in Tuscan olive oil or butter until crisp, then plain or stuffed pasta is added (burro e salvia). This light but refreshing condiment allows the true flavour of the Tuscan pasta seep through and caress your taste buds. Our Discover Tuscany cooking less particularly like to use this recipe for its plate of Ravioli Gnudi, swimming in butter and sage. The secret to Tuscany’s wealth of culinary delights are using simple and fresh ingredients, the number one lesson learned in the Discover Tuscany Cooking Lessons. The sage (or salvia) seen in the photo has yellow flowers and very large leaves - - but no perfume, it is an ornamental bush. During our Tuscan cooking lessons, we use the leaves from the plants surrounding the villa, which are smaller and very fragrant, which are delicious adding flavour to meats, potatoes, zucchini but also fabulous covered with a light batter and eaten fried.
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