Welcome to Val di Chiana, the garden of Arezzo. Venture out of the city to explore this paradise of good food, which is able to conquer even the most demanding palates.
If you are wondering what to eat here you will find the answers you are looking for and a selection of four typical products which only in Val di Chiana you will have the privilege to taste. In a green sea which opens to the gates of Arezzo, where authentic Tuscany is intertwined with an innate passion for good living and nature.
Travel Eat and Love: Val di Chiana in your dish
There is nothing better than a gastronomic itinerary to be enchanted by Val di Chiana. After all, this territory seems to be made especially to give unforgettable culinary satisfactions.
You may know that this corner of Tuscany is famous for its fine wines and the delicious oil made from its magnificent olive groves, but what you will discover on a tour of this fabulous valley is even more interesting.
You are leaving for a journey among top quality ingredients and amazing recipes. Make yourself comfortable, activate all the five senses and let yourself be guided to discover the rural culture of Arezzo and its valleys. You will be dragged into a universe of sublime flavors, ancient scents and delicious preparations between traditional rituals at the stove and the pleasure of dishes cooked as eaten in the past eaten in Arezzo – all will be a real experience to enjoy.
A white colossus: His Majesty the Chianina
In your journey to discover the wonders of the table in Val di Chiana, a succulent second course which you can enjoy only here is the meat of Chianina.
The Chianina cows are docile animals with a light mantle, giants tall at the withers at least one and a half metres (some bulls arrive at two metres). The development of this breed in the territory of Arezzo has origins which go back to a remote past. It goes back to the time of the Romans: certainly in that period the Chianina already populated the area.
These animals represented the glory of gods and were considered sacred. The towing of the cart of the winners was reserved to Chianina cows in the civilization of Urbe and still today this meat is one of the strong points of the Arezzo cuisine.
If you want to eat in Arezzo, you cannot miss steaks, roast beef, carpaccio and Chianina tartare. Among the delicacies is the white ragout sauce, which is an amazing dressing for homemade pasta.
It looks like garlic, but it is maxi: this is the most sought product in Val di Chiana
Val di Chiana owes its name to the ancient river Clanis. Today an artificial canal, fundamental for the reclamation of the great swamp which took possession of the valley, replaced its original course. Just behind the Canale Maestro della Chiana, there is the production area of the aglione, a specialty to try.
The aglione is a kind of huge garlic, to which it is similar in appearance and taste, but in reality it is a variety of leek. The Arezzo citizens use it in many dishes replacing the common garlic, compared to which it is much more aromatic and digestible.
Accomplices of the success of the aglione are its delicacy and the fact that it does not leave a bad smell in the mouth, a couple of advantages which earned it the nicknames of “garlic of lovers” and “garlic of the kiss“.
The cultivation of the aglione risked disappearing forever and it was saved in extremis by the farmers of the province of Arezzo. To prevent this danger once and for all and with the aim of promoting this ancient plant with research, marketing and dissemination to consumers, the Association for the protection and enhancement of the Aglione of Valdichiana was born.
A Guiness World Record Pig: the Case of Monte San Savino
Monte San Savino is the home of porchetta, a pork meat seasoned with salt, spices and aromatics and roasted in the oven; this is an irreplaceable element of the gastronomic culture of the inhabitants of Val di Chiana. A highlight of the festive days, it was only at the end of the Second World War when it began to be served on more daily occasions.
Normally, you should consume it within a few hours from the end of cooking, while it is still cooling. It is excellent as a second course or in a rustic take-away format served between two slices of bread. Your taste buds recognize the flavors of garlic and fennel while the crust is delicious.
It is a mouthful king and a really special food which is also the subject of a curious record: in 2010 Monte San Savino won the Guinness World Records for the longest porchetta in the world, a goal of which the Savinesi are very proud.
One apple a day… The Rusty apple from Val di Chiana
From the stable to the field to the pigsty, the products of Val di Chiana tell of important places of the ancient rural tradition of these lands. And the orchard could not be missed.
Your trip to discover what to eat in Arezzo, in this wonderful valley, ends with the rusty apple. Remember, if you come by here in October you can watch the harvest live.
A very sweet flesh and a very late decay, compared to other types of apples, are the characteristics of this fruit whose skin is tinged with rust over the time. For a genuine dessert, the suggestion is to bake it in the oven or use it to make delicious jams and compote.
So, if you want to eat well in the land of Arezzo, you just have to open a menu. Exceptional products and craftsmanship for dishes which alone worth the trip.