Before my three-day jaunt to Firenze (Florence), many people told me that I should definitely order a steak when going out at dinner. Apparently the Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine-style steak) is one of the most popular and delicious meat plates in the area. Naturally, I had to try it, so Nicole and I split a steak because they are a healthy portion for two people (and the cost is much better when you only pay half - about 18 euro each).
On Saturday night we found a cozy, little Italian restaurant called Trattoria Il Bargello. (We are pictured above with the owner who I quoted in the title.) We picked it because it looked small and personal; it was nothing like the tourist trap near the market that we picked the night before. We ordered the Bistecca alla Fiorentina and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked, seasoned to perfection, and more than enough to fill us up.When I got back to Rome I decided to research this recipe a little bit more to see what all the fuss was about and why it was so damn good! I later learned that this delectable T-bone steak comes from a breed of "Chianina" cattle. Apparently, these were the huge white oxen I saw from the train near Arezzo on the way to Firenze. I remember thinking how pretty the countryside was and how unusual the off-white color of these oxen were. I wonder if I would have ordered the steak if I knew it was from those peaceful animals on the Italian hillside. (Yes, I would have.)
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