Give me five & five!

A serving size of Cecina, also called
Farinata. A perfect snack!

 Situated in one of the most charming piazza’s in Florence on the Oltrarno (south side of the river) is a little café with an unsual name that opened up about one year ago. My mum and I, when walking through the piazza della Passera on a cold winter’s day, discovered it and when I saw the sign for Cecina in the window, a very tasty typical regional speciality that I knew she had never tried, we ducked in. Cecina is the perfect snack but it is not easy to find in Florence. It is something that I often see sold at growers markets around here, and now it seems that it will be a staple at this place the Cinque & 5 café, as the name actually refers to the lovely thin flat bread / pancake that you see in the photo. Cecina or Farinata as it is also known, is made from garbanzo bean flour (most commonly ) water and olive oil. The mixture is cooked in the oven and big slices are cut like pizza. Here at Cinque & 5 café, a slice costs 2.50 euro. 



look at the chalk board (bottom
right of the photo) you can
order Cecina as shown in the
above photo or a panino '5&5'



Cecina is very common in Livorno where they call the whole tray, from which the slices are cut, una torta – the Italian word for cake. It is sold in the tortai (translation of the word would be a ‘cake selling place’) which is misleading to the non-local as it doesn’t sell sweet but savoury goodies, pizza slices and the fabulous Cecina! These tortai are characteristically small and informal joints where you can chow down on some great, straight out of the oven, perfect winter snack food, a perfect ‘ferma-fame’. In Livorno the most common way to eat Cecina is cinque e cinque mode, or the ‘five and five’ way, which is a slice of the warm Cecina wrapped up in soft foccaccia bread with a substantial quantity of cracked pepper. The number five repeated refers to the price of the Cecina and the price of bread which cost both cost, some time ago, 5 lire. So if you wanted the Cecina sambo combo, which most did, then you just ordered a ‘5&5’. I love it, the Italians are cool even when they order food! This therefore explains the curious name of this great little biological café in my favourite Florentine square and why you can bet that Cecina is going to be a staple on their menu. Cinque & 5 café, Piazza della Passera 1, open everyday from 10am-10pm.





Buon appetito!



Never judge a book.......



Cardinal Leopoldo de' Medici by
Il Baciccio, 1670



Leopoldo de Medici (1617-1675) was the youngest brother of Grand Duke Ferdinando II de’ Medici. He is possibly one of the ugliest of the Medici family during their three hundred year long rule of Florence and Tuscany (and they were a particularly ugly bunch on the whole) but what he lacked in looks he certainly made up for in smarts, and he is one of my favourite Medici’s.

This portrait is by one of the artists of whom he was very fond, Il Baciccio, and he is shown here in his cardinal robes. He was elected cardinal at the age of fifty after the death of Giovan Carlo, his older cardinal playboy brother. It was necessary for all influential and ruling families to have a close relative in a high placing in the church and Leopold was a good candidate to fill the newly papal Medici void as he was a bachelor and extremely intelligent, a formidable diplomat, well connected and very amiable. What is so fascinating about the Medici family of Florence is that there is a long list of family members who were outstanding patrons of the arts and learning, Leopold is one of the least talked about however even though he was one of the most significant in this respect.

Through out the family history so many of them were up to date, avant-guard supporters of new discoveries, technologies and  were addicted to knowledge. Sure, the heads of the family played dirty in order to sustain power, eliminate enemies and displayed ruthless acts of merciless violence in order to carry forth their projects of expansion and political desires but Renaissance Europe was a jungle and success in the field required that any successful player played with jungle tactics. However, the Medici family weren't simple brutes but they endlessly sought knowledge and spent tirelessly for the expansion of the mind, the beautification of the Florence and the patronage of talent in all fields making changes that were felt world wide. Leopold didn’t rule the duchy of Tuscany and so could dedicate more time to philanthropy than others. Galileo was the official court mathematician and scientist during the first half of the 1600's and Leopold was one of his most promising students. After his teacher’s death he personally sanctioned and supported Europe’s very first scientific academy, the Academia del Cimento (the Academy of the Daring), which met at his home, the Ducal palace (the modern day Pitti Palace), and he was the Academy’s CEO. He used his diplomatic skill to smooth out the differences between the various different strong characters in the group thus fostering a productive environment producing, amongst other  scientific advancements, the first barometer. He was a prolific letter writer to all heads of state in Europe, royal members, philosophers, writers, artists and politicians. He supported literary movements and was an extraordinary patron of the visual arts, in particular a collector of drawings, miniatures and self portraits of the artists (currently displayed in the Vasarian corridor). Over the years he built up a network of over eighty agents predominately in Italy but also in Paris, Flanders and Holland and elsewhere, who were perminately on the look out for artistic works and collections for sale and always kept him up to speed with developments and negotiating on his behalf.

He displayed his collection in his personal apartments on the third floor of the Ducal palace and upon his death it was, for the most part, taken to the Uffizi gallery. Of the 50,000 circa drawings in the Uffizi gallery collection today, 8,000 circa are courtesy of Leopold. He was particularly sensitive to the Venetian style, their unique colour palate and free brushwork, thus beginning the city's real display of the other great artistic Italian school along with that of Florence.  The love of the Venetian school was then continued by his great nephew, Gran Prince Ferdinand, another fascinating character…. the subject for another blog…. 

A FISH FEAST WITH A PUNCH

I am a fish fiend and one of my favourite fish dishes is Cacciucco, a speciality from Livorno, the largest port town in Tuscany (circa 1.5 hours from Florence by car). Cacciucco is basically a fish stew using about 6-7 different types of fish and crustaceans cooked with tomatoes, garlic, chilli, sage and some red wine and served over thick slices of Tuscan bread (not fresh but from the days previous) which has been toasted and rubbed with garlic. The type of fish to expect are squid, cuttle fish, prawns, shrimps, mussels and different kinds of white fish typically used in stews. Red wine, not white wine, is the accompanying beverage to wash it down.

The etymology of this marvellous dish’s name is a bit of a mystery. Some say that it could derive from the Turkish word kacuk meaning little pieces, referring to the numerous chunks of different fish used, or it could be from the Spanish word cachuco, the name of a particular fish subsequently used as a generic name for fish in general. These two possible explanations, although seemingly unconnected, being from two widely differing cultures, are both perfectly plausible when we consider the history and geographical positioning of Livorno (the English name of the city is Leghorn, which I have always found has a ridiculous ring to it). As many large port cities traditionally are a melting pot of cultures, so too was Livorno, but maybe even more so than others. With the silting of the port of Pisa, Livorno slightly further south, was created as the new  port for the Duchy of Tuscany under the rule of the Medici family. Bernardo Buontalenti, the favourite architect and inventor for Grand Duke Francesco de Medici in the second half of the 1500’s, was commissioned to draw up plans for the new city and fortress.

The city was largely finished and launched as the active and important port city that it is still today, under Francesco’s successor and brother, Grand Duke Ferdinando de Medici, who, recognising the need to increase the Duchy’s revenue, made the port a 'porto franco', a duty free haven, as well as offering amnesty to all religious and ethnic groups and thus attracting persecuted groups and minorities such Jews, Huguenots, Armenians, Greeks, and later Moriscos (Muslims converted to Catholicism) as well as others, who, bringing their trade contacts and expertise, helped to fill the coffers of Tuscany and breathe some new life into the ever declining power of Tuscany on the European scene.

After devouring a Cacciucco, it’s time for a 'Ponce' to round of the meal in true local Livornese fashion. Ponce derives from the English word, Punch, and is similar, but with a slight Italian adaptation of the ingredients. English Punch is a mixture of tea, sugar, cinnamon, lemon and distilled alcohol (generally a base of rum or rice wine) and Ponce replaces the tea with coffee (obviously!!).

I went to the trattoria Il Sottomarino tel: 0586 887 025 in the centre of Livorno, . I hear that 'Antica Venezia', also in the centre of Livorno, does a very good Cacciucco as well, which I plan to try next time.

THE SECRET IS OUT




The Alchemical laboratory.
One of the paintings on the top register.
Mercury, sulphur & other alchemical supplies would
have been kept in the cupboard below.
Portrait of Francesco I bottom right corner

One of the most long term secretive places in the city is now more open to the public - and I recommend to all and sundry that you check it out.  I love it! The study of the Grand Duke Francesco I is inside the medieval town hall building, which was used as the Medici ducal palace and ceremonial hall from the 1540’s. In the 1570’s, Francesco de Medici created a small room, accessed only from his bedroom and from his father’s study, where he would conduct his scientific, natural and alchemical  studies and experiments - in secret from the court that was then run with strict Spanish etiquette. He kept gold, silver, semi precious stones, bizarre and exotic artefacts from the New World, glass objects, rock crystal vases, beautifully designed and manufactured, and antiquities in cupboards decorated on the exterior with mythological, cosmological and historical scenes symbolically linked to the objects stored behind. The room itself resembled a casket, beautifully decorated, not only with these paintings on the cupboards and the walls above (thirty-four in total), but with wooden carvings on the ceiling and more figurative decoration in stucco and fresco. In fact, all of the figurative decoration was carefully planned by the Domenican Vincenzo Borghini, who was the official court iconographer or spin doctor. It was a program based on the four elements, the four humours, the four seasons and the four temperaments and how man transforms these natural forces using science, technology and art, creating more beautiful and marvellous objects and inventions. Thus, the personal casket room of Francesco displays the power of man as God on earth. The Damien Hirst diamond skull is temperarily displayed next to this room ( hence the temporary opening of the Studiolo to  public access)  in a blackened out space, rendering the power of the diamond (the hardest and most precious of stones) encrusted human skull even more poignant when considered with the alchemical philosophy of the era of Francesco de Medici. The Hirst exhibition 'For the Love of God' (see previous blog entry) is running until May, so plan a trip soon to the Palazzo Vecchio to experience the secret world of one of the most interesting of the Medici family members.

Diamonds are forever

‘For the love of God’ is the name of the completely diamond encrusted platinum model of a European man’s skull from the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century presently on display in the Palazzo Vecchio. 'For the love of God' was supposedly the first part of what the artist’s mother said when she saw it, followed by ‘what will you do next?’ The creator of the diamond skull is Damien Hirst, 45 years old, who is the wealthiest British artist alive. He made his name for having a penchant for formaldehyde, using it to display various animals, such as sharks, sheep and cows, in glass vitrines.  He has a fascination with death, stemming possibly from his time working at a mortuary during his studies at Goldsmiths art school in his youth. The diamond skull was made in 2007 and contains 8,601 ethically-sourced flawless African diamonds, the last being an enormous pink pearl drop diamond placed in the centre of the forehead. It cost 14million pounds to make. It is on display, for only the third time, in the town hall in Florence until  May 1st. It was first shown in 2007 at the White Cube gallery, London, and then in 2008 at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Here in Florence, the skull is on show in a small blackened out room in the town hall next to the Studiolo (Study) of Grand Duke Francesco I de’ Medici, a room normally viewed by appointment only. That it is open is very exciting, and so the Studiolo will be the subject of the next blog!

FLORENTINE STREET FOOD



Lampredotto stand near the straw market

Clients often say to me when they book a tour that they want to see ‘real Florence’ and they want to experience some Florentine life, and indulging in the famous Italian cuisine is high on their list of priorities. That being the case, the Florentine street food is an absolute must! There are a few little caravans around the centre of the city that sell the much loved lampredotto sandwich and often at lunchtime they are hard to see due to the number of people waiting to order but already by mid-morning the odour of the fourth stomach of the cow wafts through the streets. Florentines have been devouring the fourth stomach since the cows came home, and like most origins of the really typical foods relating to Tuscany, it was part of the poor-man’s diet. The really nice cuts and parts of the animal would be sold to the wealthy and the leftovers would be bought by the peasants or kept by the farmer’s family after selling the rest. The real name is Abomasum but Lampredotto is the Florentine word given to this part of the stomach (the cow has four in total) and it refers the appearance of it when cooked. 

Tripe and lampredotto in the central food market

They thought it looked similar in colour and texture to the lamprey eels that were once common in the Arno river. It is boiled for a long time with onions, parsley, celery and onion and then served in a bread roll with a ‘salsa verde’ (made with parsley) or plain with salt and pepper or with spicy oil. There is one of the caravans at the Straw Market, outside the central food market, near the San Ambrogio food market and near Dante’s house. In very traditional trattoria’s you will see it on the menu, it may appear as ‘lampredotto in zimino’ (with chard or spinach). A great trattoria-tripperia is ‘Magazzino’ open seven days in Piazza della Passera on the Oltrarno specialising in tripe and lampredotto. The family also owns the caravan at the Straw Market. Buon appetito!

Medieval Living - Palazzo Davanzati

One of my favourite places to visit in Florence is the Palazzo Davanzati, which is now a museum, open 8.15am-1.50pm, Tuesday to Saturday (and on alternating Mondays and Sundays).The Davizzi family, wealthy merchants in the late fourteenth century, built their palace in Florence which was then bought by the Davanzati family in the late sixteenth century. Visiting the palazzo is a fantastic step back into the golden merchant age of the city when the Florentine business men held a hegemony of power in the wool manufacturing and banking sectors in Europe. The Florentine palaces should be viewed as a physical display of the family's power, wealth and desire for longevity in an age when the European continent was emerging from centuries of 'darkness' and forming city-states, governments and international trade centres and when the individual was returning to be a central focus of study and importance. Here in the Davanzati palace one can see the beginnings of domestic activity of the modern age  with a dumb waiter system enabling fresh water from their private well to be taken easily to all five floors, elegant reception rooms, dining rooms and even private bathrooms. All is arranged around a central courtyard which lights the palace and the rain water is collected through the holes on the stone floor in a cistern below for domestic use, such as cleaning. The private life of the family starts on the first floor, the walls of the main rooms and the exquisite bedrooms were covered with frescoes and tapestries under which, in winter, would be placed fur for greater insulation. Fireplaces are in nearly every room and the kitchen, on the top floor, has all the necessary tools for some good Tuscan cooking, such as the grain grinder for bread making , the metal apparatus for turning polenta and the iron spit with pully in order to rotate the roast suckling pig! The palace is intact from the 1300's, business took place on the ground floor and the front doors of the palace date to this period. If they were being attacked there are trapdoors on the first floor placed directly over the three entrance doors in order to pour down boiling water and tar to stop the enemy advancing any further. Don't miss the ceramic painted shoes that were used as hand warmers displayed on the second floor and the little room off the main reception room on the first floor dedicated to lace making, fascinating.