FLAVOURS AND TASTES OF MOUNT AMIATA

FOOD AND WINE OF MOUNT AMIATA

The chestnut, l'oliva, the mushroom, the cheese, screw, honey, baked goods, are the notes of our music.

And what music…

Thanks to a highly developed cultural and therefore food reality, the Monte Amiata area offers a wide variety of typical products, many with quality brands. These are accompanied by the numerous local festivals and celebrations that follow the production cycles.
First of all the local products, the chestnut. “Pan di Legno e vin di nuvoli”, as our grandparents used to say, represented the only element of support for many centuries and until the end of the Second World War. In autumn when the leaves of the trees begin to change color, the precious fruit begins to make its presence on the tables of the Amiatini who are very attached to it.

Another product of great interest is the mushrooms. Even for these, a recognition of quality is sought. Among all of them, obviously, the porcini mushroom (boletus edulis) stands out.
Going down, below 700 meters, we find the olive trees. The oil It is one of the oldest productions. Already in documents of the 9th century we find stories of wonderful olive groves. This plant has found an ideal environment here. There are different varieties but among the others the cultivar “Olivastra Seggianese” stands out. Now the traditional oil mills, those with large stone millstones, have given way to cutting-edge systems from which high-level production can be obtained

Even further down here are the vineyards and therefore the wine. Amiata is located in the center of the most suitable wine-growing area of ​​Tuscany. To the north is Brunello in the Montalcino area, to the east is Nobile in the Montepulciano area, to the south is Morellino around Scansano and Bianco di Pitigliano in the municipality of the same name, to the west is Montecucco, the new wine of Amiata, born in 1998 but already capable of offering great products.

Here then cheeses. The Amiata area, a traditional sheep breeding area, offers great pecorino cheeses, and some companies manage to produce valuable cheeses with extremely different and particular maturations.
La Love Senese It is a variety of pig that the Amiata tradition wants to be native to our territory. In a painting by Nasini that is found in the Abbey of San Salvatore, dated around 1600 we already see these animals moving freely in the woods. Today we find several farms, with top productions. The animal lives in large wooded areas feeding on acorns, roots, tubers and truffles

The great “revenge” of the Cinta Senese is due to the greater presence (57%) of oleic fat or “good” fat which makes the meat tastier and healthier with a beautiful intense red colour compared to that of pork (50% oleic fat).
By now they are of national fame the meats whole pieces of Cinta: from the fillet to the pork loin, from the sirloin to the neck, to the shoulder. But even more proverbially tasty are the cured meats: hams, cheeks, sausages and chopped bacon with spices. Great cured meats are also obtained from traditional pig breeds thanks to a centuries-old pork butchering culture.
The honey It is a traditional production of our territory. There are many poultry farmers who create great products

Finally baked goods. The Salted Biscuit of Roccalbegna, the traditional breads that today with the affirmation of a new quality brand are able to affirm our artisanal productions also abroad. Of particular interest is the production of desserts, including panettone, panforte, polenta, which small companies offer at the highest levels.
Obviously this great wealth of products gives life to an extraordinary cuisine, where alongside the soups are le homemade pasta e the roasts