Taste Siena

Siena’s long and complex cultural history is also reflected in its gastronomy.
Tasting a typical Sienese dish is not simply a wonder to savor, but also means tasting the result of a long tradition and history of the area, which from peasant origins has evolved and refined while maintaining some flavors of its origins.

Sienese cuisine is a land cuisine, with dishes of poor and peasant origin, genuine and tasty. Often revisited in a modern key and enriched or reinterpreted, the gastronomic delights of Siena will make you “taste” the territory and its tradition.

Some examples of Sienese and Tuscan cuisine:

– Liver crostini. Although there are several variations, it is essentially bruschetta and a creamy sauce with a strong flavor. Of peasant origin, they were made with leftover bread and chicken scraps. All enriched with butter, saffron and local herbs.

– Pappardelle with hare
A decidedly autumnal/winter dish, prepared with minced hare, red wine and obviously, pappardelle.

– Ribollita
Ribollità is a soup of peasant origin that is very widespread throughout Tuscany, a symbol of its poor and peasant origins as it is essentially a minestrone with the addition of leftovers, then cooked again.
True boiling requires a few days of preparation. It is essentially leftover minestrone to which other ingredients are added, including toasted bread and garlic, and then cooked again. Hence the name “boiled”.

– Sienese bruschetta
A simple but very tasty appetizer: Tuscan bread with garlic, tomato, basil, other herbs and olive oil. Served hot it is truly delicious.

– Panforte
Panforte is a Sienese dessert famous throughout the world, also for its unique ingredients and preparation. It includes a paste of almonds, marzipan, cedar and nutmeg. It was originally a simple dessert but was later enriched and flavored with various spices, thus making it a food to be consumed essentially on festive occasions.

These are just a few examples of Siena’s rich gastronomic offer. The best way to discover it in full is to wander around the center and… Try it!

Siena is full of restaurants and taverns where, even with a modest expense, you can taste the authentic flavors of Tuscany.