Gastronomy

Tuscan cuisine is ancient and adept, made up of simple and  tasty ingredients.
Tuscan cuisine, and Florentine food in particular, is based on essential, natural ingredients, derived from the traditions of peasant cooking. Even the classical French cuisine has its origins in Florence, transported by the chefs who followed the French court of Caterina de'Medici in the 1500s..

Among the first courses of the cuisine worth mentioning are "ribollita" (a soup based on black cabbage, beans, and other vegetables), "bruschette" (toasted bread with garlic and olive oil, sometimes covered with liver pate, anchovy paste or olives), beans "Uccelletta" style (boiled beans, cooked in oil with tomato sauce and sage).

Among the second courses, the most famous is surely the "beefsteak Florentine style", cooked rare, without salt, flavored with herbs. Among the less noble second courses the most characteristic is "tripe Florentine style," covered with tomato sauce and an abundance of grated parmesan cheese.

Game dishes worth mentioning include boar and rabbit in regional sauces.
The most common cheeses are pecorino and ricotta.

Desserts are simple, in Italian they are called "poor", the most characteristic being "cantucci" (cookies sweetened with almonds, perfect for dunking in "Vin Santo").