Have you ever tried Puerto Rican Canoas? Golden, caramelized plantains house a savory, rich filling in this classic and traditional dish. Usually made with sweet ripe plantains (not blackened) split and stuffed with picadillo (a spiced ground meat mixture), Canoas strike a perfect balance between sweet and savory, soft and hearty. The dish reflects the island’s culinary heritage, where different cultural Spanish, African, and Taíno influences come together in comforting ways. Talk about a perfect family dinner or even a dish for celebrations like holiday meals.
The Importance of Plantains
When making Canoas, and many other Puerto Rican recipes, plantains define the dish. In Puerto Rico, ripe plantains are essential due to their sweetness, soft texture, and accessibility around the island. When you bake them, they become tender and even lightly caramelized, creating the perfect contrast to the savory filling inside Canoas.
Beyond function, they bring balance to each dish. The sweetness of the plantain offsets the richness of the filling. It helps to capture the sweet-and-savory interplay that is central to Puerto Rican cuisine and often seen in the country’s most popular dishes.
A Puerto Rican staple using plantains as a canoe for a filling of beef, veggies, and delicious seasonings.
Ingredients
Scale
6 ripe, not blackened plantains (bake for 35 minutes in their skin for preparation)
For the filling:
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, minced
3 gloves garlic, minced
½ cup minced red bell, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp adobo
2 tsp oregano
1 cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tbsp vinegar
1 envelope sazón
2 bay leaves
Juice and zest of 2 limes
Salt to taste
Instructions
In a big sautéed pan(or Dutch oven), sautéed onions, peppers and garlic for 5 minutes, add beef and all seasonings (adobo, oregano, sazon), brown and break clumps.
Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, caramelized for 5-7 minutes.
Deglaze with vinegar and add the bay leaf and lime juice and zest.
Let cook for another 15 minutes and finish with the fresh cilantro.
Assemble the canoas by cutting the middle top of the plantains and filling them with the meat. You can top with cheese if desired.
Recipe and Styling by Jamilka Borges Photography by Dave Bryce
Looking for a new Red Snapper recipe that embraces the brightness of this fish? Inspired by Caribbean flavors, this Red Snapper dish brings together crisp-skinned fish, earthy taro root, and two vibrant salsas for a plate that feels both shore-like and refined. The snapper uses a simple preparation to let its delicate flavor shine. Then, a taro root smash adds heftiness and nuttiness on top.
Another element that elevates this dish are the salsas. One is a salsa criolla, with a tangy bite and depth. The other is a fresh, herb-driven salsa verde. Together, they create a recipe that you’ll come back to whenever you wish to cook yourself something special.
What is Taro Root?
Taro root is a starchy tropical stem that is an important ingredient across the Caribbean, Asia, and the Pacific for centuries. It has a rough brown exterior and pale, almost purple-speckled interior. Whenever you use taro in a dish, it develops a nutty flavor along with a soft, creamy texture.
It’s important to note that you have to cook taro before eating. Taro root contains naturally occurring compounds that can cause irritation when you eaten raw.
This South Indian Avial is a lesson in simplicity, showcasing how vegetables can turn into a delectable dish whenever you use the right ingredients and spices. Here, we’re letting a bundle of fresh vegetables shine in a creamy, spiced coconut sauce. The end product creates a bowl that’s hearty and delicate.
The magic of this recipe starts with a paste of fresh coconut, cumin, ginger, and green chilies, which binds the vegetables together. You’ll finish the veggies off by tempering them in coconut oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. This is what gives you that aromatic snap that is essential South Indian. Our Avial pairs perfectly with rice, making it a comforting staple.
What’s the History of Avial?
Avial gets its roots in Kerala as well as its neighboring regions in South India. Its origins are come from the agricultural lifestyle of the region, Many farmers would take whatever fresh vegetables are in season then combine them with coconut, yogurt, and spices.
Traditionally, Avial holds a place of honor in the Onam Sadhya, an elaborate, multi-course vegetarian banquet that celebrates the harvest festival. Sadhya is a carefully-curated ritual with each dish representing abundance, balance, and community. Avial symbolizes harmony and completeness.
Prepare the coconut paste, by grinding cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger and coconut with 4 tablespoons of water. Set this aside to use later.
Boil the 2 ½ cups of water in a deep saucepan. Once boiling, place in the cubed potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, place in the green banana slices, cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
Next, add the frozen avial vegetable mixture and boil for 3 minutes, before placing in the peas and boiling for an additional 2-3 minutes.
While the vegetables are boiling, whisk the ground coconut paste and yogurt together. Once the vegetables are softened, turn the heat to low, and gently add the yogurt a little at a time.
Cook on low just until the raw coconut smell is gone. Do not cook too long as the yogurt will curdle.
Lastly, heat the coconut oil in a small skillet. Once heated add the mustard seeds. Once the popping slows down, immediately add the curry leaves and red chilies. Pour this tempered oil on top of the avial. Serve with rice.
Notes
Each state has a slightly different way of preparing this dish – some are thicker in consistency, some use turmeric while others don’t, some temper at the end and some don’t. This recipe is one similar to how my family from Tamilnadu prepares it.
The vegetables used in avial are indigenous vegetables such as moringa drumsticks, elephant foot yam,and snake gourd combined with more familiar vegetables like green beans and carrots.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
Mangalorean Chicken Roast with Ghee is a signature dish that captures the coastal spirit of Mangalore. We slather this chicken in a fresh spice paste of dried red chilies, black pepper, coriander, fennel, as well as fenugreek. After, we slowly roast the chicken in ghee until each piece is tender, smoky, and full of flavor. Curry leaves, jaggery, and yogurt add brightness, subtle sweetness, and tang for a dish you’ll want to add to your weekly dinner plans.
This dish originates from the South Indian town of Kundapur in Mangalore, Karnataka in the kitchen of the Shetty Lunch Home. It has a signature deep red color and smokiness from the Byadgi chilies, a tanginess from the tamarind, and richness from the ghee, or clarified butter.
More About Mangalore
Mangalore is a port city on India’s southwestern coast, known for its culture, rich history, and distinctive coastal cuisine. Along the Arabian Sea, Mangalore is a hub for trade, which is why the area brings together flavors, ingredients, and culinary techniques from across India and beyond. The city is especially famous for its use of fresh coconut, curry leaves, tamarind, and seafood, as well as bold spice blends. Mangalorean cuisine reflects the city’s coastal geography and multicultural heritage with dishes like Chicken Ghee Roast, kori rotti, and also seafood curries.
See how ghee and Mangalorean flavors change up roast chicken.
Ingredients
Scale
For ghee roast masala:
16 Byadgi dried red chilies
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorn
6 cloves
1 ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 cup of water
Remaining ingredients:
1 whole chicken (approx. 3 ½ lb) skin off, cut into preferred size pieces (3-4”)
⅓ cup yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp melted ghee + 7 tbsp ghee
4 sprigs curry leaves
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp jaggery or dark brown sugar
Salt to taste
Instructions
Dry roast the red chilies. Once cool, grind in a spice grinder and set aside.
Then, in the same skillet, dry roast the remaining spices. Once cool, combine with the ground chilies and grind to a powder.
Add the ginger and garlic along with 1 cup of water added gradually to make a paste .
Place the ground paste in a bowl, add yogurt, lemon juice, and one tbsp of melted ghee. Stir to combine. Place the cut chicken in a container, add the marinade paste, and stir to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hrs, preferably overnight.
Take chicken out of the fridge 1 hr before you start cooking. In a large pan, add 3 tbsp of ghee. Once heated, place in the curry leaves, followed in 30 seconds by the finely chopped red onions and salt.
Once onions are translucent, add the marinated chicken, stirring to combine with the onions. Add another 3 tbsp of ghee and stir again.
After 5 minutes, cover and cook on medium low-medium heat, occasionally stirring for about 10 minutes. At this stage, uncover and add the tamarind, jaggery, and remaining tbsp of ghee. Stir and cover again for 5 minutes.
Uncover, taste and adjust for salt. Continue cooking until ghee is released and appears on the surface and masala thickens.
Notes
To reduce spiciness, add only 10 Byadgi chilies and reduce black peppercorn to 1 tbsp or less. Another option is to remove the seeds in the chilies before grinding.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
Some often assume that those in india do not eat beef due to the majority of Indians being Hindu. But, India is a diverse country with a multitude of communities represented in its citizenry. This recipe for Kerala-Style Dry Beef Stir-Fry is from the southern state of Kerala where over 18% of the population is Christian, a community that does eat beef. For this recipe, we marinate cubes of beef in a fragrant mix of spices, ginger, garlic, and fresh curry leaves, then cook it with coconut for a subtle touch of sweetness. The stir-fry develops a rich, caramelized coating that’s both spicy and deliciously savory.
What is Dry Beef?
Dry beef here refers to a style of cooking beef where the meat sautées until most of the moisture evaporates. This leaves the beef in a thick layer of spices, oil, and aromatics. Unlike stews or curries, which have a sauce or gravy, dry beef dishes are technically sauceless with the seasoning clinging directly to the meat. Kerala cuisine stands out for its use of whole spices, curry leaves, coconut, and jaggery when it comes to dry beef.
Try cooking beef in a more interesting way than you’re used to.
Ingredients
Scale
For beef masala:
2 tbsp green cardamom pods
6 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cloves
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 dried red Byadgi chilies
4 dried Sanam chilies
2” piece cinnamon stick
For marinating beef:
2 lbs chuck beef cut into 1.5” cubes
1 red onion, finely diced
2 Thai green chilies, finely diced
1 rounded tbsp grated ginger
1 rounded tbsp crushed garlic
1 sprig curry leaves (approximately 15 leaves)
1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp red chili powder
3/4 tsp turmeric
Reamining ingredients:
1 tbsp + 1 tbsp coconut oil
½ cup water
½ cup fresh or frozen coconut slices
3 sprigs curry leaves
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
10 large shallots, thinly sliced
Black pepper
Pinch of jaggery or dark brown sugar
Instructions
Prepare the beef masala by dry roasting all the masala ingredients, cooling, and grinding to a coarse powder. You will have extra that you can store in a tightly sealed container for the next time you prepare this recipe.
To marinate the beef, place your beef cubes in a container and sprinkle with 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of the meat masala. Stir to evenly coat with the spices. Then add the remaining marinating ingredients, stirring until they are all evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate several hours, preferably overnight if possible.
Once ready to prepare the recipe, remove the beef from the refrigerator and let sit out for approximately 30 minutes to remove the chill.
Use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to first cook the marinated beef. If using an Instant Pot, place the beef cubes into the inner pot along with 1/2 cup water, close the lid and pressure cook for 25 minutes.
Once cooked, let the pressure naturally release. This will take approximately an additional 20+ minutes. Once pressure is released, open the lid and separate the released liquid from the beef cubes. Retain the liquid for the next step and set aside the cooked beef for later.
Heat a large flat bottomed pan. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Once heated , saute the coconut slices until lightly golden. At this stage, add the curry leaves, followed by the sliced shallots and salt. Saute for 2 minutes before adding the sliced garlic.
Continue sauteing until lightly golden, stirring occasionally. At this stage, pour in the reserved beef juices from the pressure cooker and simmer together until the flavors combine and the color darkens. Sprinkle in the black pepper (if using) and the jaggery/brown sugar.
Place in the cooked beef and toss together to coat with the sauce. Taste and add salt as needed.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
Hariyali Paneer Kebabs are a feast for both the eyes and the palate. These skewered cubes of paneer are soft and creamy on the inside. As they grill or sear, however, the edges develop a subtle char while the marinade seeps into every bit of the paneer. It’s bright, tangy, and just a little smoky.
Originating from the heart of North Indian cuisine, these kebabs capture the essence of Indian street food and festive appetizers alike. They’re fun to eat, and endlessly versatile. For example, try serving at a dinner party, enjoying as a snack with chutney, or pairing with naan and rice for a fuller meal. Making these Hariyali Paneer Kebabs is an unforgettable introduction to India’s bold, playful flavors.
What is Hariyali Paneer?
Hariyali Paneer is a North Indian green herb-based appetizer or snack. Hariyali is actually a word derived from the Hindi word “hari” meaning verdant and green. It’s made with cubes of paneer, a mild Indian cheese. The cubes are coated in a vibrant green (hariyali) marinade that comes from fresh herbs like cilantro and mint. Green chilies, garlic, ginger, as well as spices, add layers of flavor.
These kebabs are great on their own or along with rice and naan.
Ingredients
Scale
500 grams paneer
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 1/2 cup coriander leaves
1 cup mint
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 ½” ginger, minced
1–2 Thai green chilies
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
½ tsp black salt
1 1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp gram flour (chickpea flour)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2” chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into 2” chunks
1 red onion, cut into 2” chunks
Melted ghee or butter (for brushing on at the end)
Instructions
First, cut the paneer into 1 ½” cubes and place in a mixing bowl with the bell peppers and onion chunks
Next, blend the yogurt, coriander leaves, mint, garlic, and ginger, and green chilies into a paste. Then, add the garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, amchur, black salt, fenugreek leaves, cornstarch, and chickpea flour. Stir to combine all the marinade ingredients.
Pour the marinade over the paneer and vegetables, using your hands to evenly coat everything. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil metal skewers and begin threading the paneer and vegetables alternating between the two. Place skewers on a parchment lined baking sheet, balancing them on the baking sheet edges if possible, to let airflow under the skewers.
Place the paneer skewers in the preheated oven and cook for about 6-7 minutes, flipping them and cooking for an additional 6-7 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and use a kitchen blowtorch to char. Lastly, brush with melted ghee or butter before serving.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
India is known for its multitude of rice dishes, ranging from complicated biriyanis to simple daily recipes like this Carrot Pulav (Pilaf). South Indian households enjoy a variety of vegetarian rice dishes, like coconut rice, tomato rice, or lemon rice (and carrot rice). They are quick, staple recipes for lunches or picnics. In this particular version, we’re turning basmati rice into a meal with the addition of diced carrots, onion, golden raisins, cashews, Thai green chiles, curry leaves, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, cardamom pods, and so much more.
What is a Pulav?
A pulav (or as you might know it, pilaf) is a rice dish where we cook the rice with spices, aromatics, and then often vegetables, meat, or seafood. It’s a way to make a one-pot meal that’s easy but still nutritious and tasty too. Unlike biryani, which typically involves layers of cooking and more intense spices, pulav is much simpler.
In Indian cuisine, pulav can range from everyday home-cooked versions with peas, carrots, and mild spices to festive versions that go a little further with nuts, dried fruits, or meat.
1 onion, cut in half, sliced thinly into half moons, then cut into 1/4s
1 ½ cups peeled diced carrots (very small cubes)
3/4 tsp turmeric
3/4 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ghee
Neutral oil
Salt
For topping:
1 tbsp ghee
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup golden raisins
Salt
Instructions
Rinse the rice 2- 3 times or until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with water and let it soak for 20 minutes. Once ready to cook, drain the water and use your preferred method for cooking the rice, whether that’s stovetop or rice cooker. Keep in mind the ration of rice to water should be 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water.
Prepare the topping, by heating the ghee in a small skillet. Once the ghee melts, saute the sliced onions with a pinch of salt, until they become golden and caramelized. Add the cashews and raisins and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the raisins plump up. Set this aside to use as the topping for the rice.
In a large flat bottomed pan, pour enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Once the oil is heated, place in the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds slow down popping, add the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. After about 15 seconds add the curry leaves and green chilies. Then add the minced garlic with the onions and a little salt. Saute until the onions become translucent.
When onions reach that stage, place in the diced carrots along with the turmeric and coriander powder. Stir to combine, before adding the lemon juice. Cover and let cook on medium low heat for about 3 minutes. Uncover and stir, adding salt if needed. Cover again and continue cooking until carrots are cooked through.
When carrots are sufficiently cooked, add the cooled basmati rice, gently folding all the ingredients together. Adjust seasoning as needed. Top with the ghee and finish by adding the browned onion, cashew, and raisin mixture, before serving.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
This is the kind of dish that rewards patience. In this Andhra-Style Stuffed Eggplant Curry, we’re stuffing small eggplants with a paste filling of spices that create a nutty, tangy, and even fiery profile. Then, we simmer these eggplants on low and give it time to absorb the curry base it’s cooked in. As the eggplants cook, they become tender and meld into the curry base, creating a sauce that’s thick and utterly flavorful. s layered with spice, balanced with tang, and packs a punch. It’s the kind of meal that you should savor and use rice to soak up every last bit.
About Andhra Pradesh Cuisine
This recipe comes from Andhra Pradesh, a coastal state in southern India. The Stuffed Eggplant Curry reflects the character of Andhra cuisine since it’s layered with spice, balanced with tang, and packs a punch. It’s the kind of meal that you should savor and use rice to soak up every last bit. But, a word of warning, this is a very spicy dish, a key aspect of Andhra cuisine. If you wish to reduce the heat, you have a few options. You can use only Byadgi or Kashmiri chilies, leaving out the Guntur ones. You can leave out the Thai green chili. Or, you can leave out the Kashmiri chili powder. Depending on what you leave out, you can mend the recipe to your liking.
1/4 cup lightly roasted chana dal (split chickpea lentils)
1/3 cup grated dried coconut (kopra) can sub with unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 tbsp jaggery or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
8–10 cloves of garlic
Approximately 3/4 cup water added gradually
Remaining ingredients:
10 small Indian eggplants
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
10 curry leaves
1 Thai green chili, split lengthwise
1 medium red onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced into half moons
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
Instructions
To prepare the eggplant, hold the eggplant by the stem, use a sharp paring knife to cut a criss cross from the bottom cutting 3/4s of the way towards the stem. You want the cuts to go up just far enough to open the eggplant for stuffing while still keeping it intact.
Place the prepared eggplant in a bowl of water salted with 1 tsp of salt.
To prepare the spice paste, pulse the first 10 ingredients (up to and including the chana dal) until coarsely powdered, then place in the remaining ingredients, gradually adding water as necessary to grind to a thick paste.
Remove the eggplant from the water and stuff each eggplant generously, pushing the spice paste into the center with your fingers. Reserve the remaining paste to use later.
In a flat bottomed saute pan, pour 3 tbsp of neutral oil. Once heated, place in the mustard seeds. When they slow down their popping, add the cumin seeds, followed by the curry leaves and split green chili.
After a few seconds, place in the thinly sliced onions and sprinkle with salt. Stir and after 2 minutes, sprinkle in the turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder.
Once the onions are slightly browned, place the stuffed eggplant carefully on top of the onions. Saute on all sides, using tongs to gently flip the eggplant. After about 4 minutes, add the reserved spice paste , tamarind paste, and 1 1/2 cups water.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on medium low heat, uncovering to stir occasionally until eggplant softens and is completely cooked. Serve with white rice, biriyani, or rotis.
Recipe and Food Styling by Veda Sankaran PropStyling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
During Christmas time, you may see layers of saltine crackers, brown sugar, butter, and chocolate chips that make a salty-sweet dessert that some call Crack for it’s delicious addictiveness. But, this dessert recipe doesn’t have to be just for December, you can actually tweak the recipe to make it a staple for any holiday or occasion, even just because. With Easter coming up, it’s the perfect time to make Crack more spring-like with the use of white chocolate, milk chocolate foil eggs, pistachios, as well as dried berries. Feel free to get creative and add in any other Easter treats you enjoy like jelly beans, peeps, or even other candies.
Where Did the Dessert Crack Come From?
The dessert that you know as Christmas Crack or simply Crack roots itself in centuries of confectionery evolution. Its foundation of a thin, buttery toffee topped with chocolate traces back to classic European candy-making traditions. As sugar became more widely available in the 18th and 19th centuries, thanks to expanding trade and refined processing, home cooks began experimenting with easy, shelf-stable sweets. With the premiere of Saltines in 1876, Southerns would use the cracker as a base for various treats, leading then to the dessert we love today.
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (make sure the parchment is covering up the sides).
Cover sheet pan with 48 (or more) saltine crackers.
Melt the butter and brown sugar in a medium sauce pan to make a toffee. Stirring with a wooden spoon, bring to a boil for 5 minutes or until it is completely mixed and bubbly.
Pour the toffee carefully over the arranged Saltines and spread as evenly as possible with a rubber spatula
Place sheet pan in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes until the toffee mixture is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 20 minutes
Using a double boiler method, melt the white chocolate.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the sugar mixture.
Using a spatula, smooth the white chocolate over the surface of the hardened toffee layer
Scatter mini eggs, chopped pistachios, dried cranberries, freeze-dried fruits and sprinkles over the melted white chocolate.
Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to cool for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator and break the Easter Crack into pieces or cut with a knife if you prefer more uniform pieces.
Florence is a city that can wear out even its most ardent admirers. By late afternoon on a chilly day just after the New Year, my family of three was footsore and frazzled, having spent hours in long, disorganized lines and crowds that seemed to multiply around every revered masterpiece in nearly every church and museum.
Taking in a Florence Sunset Food and Wine Tour to Escape the Busy Tourists
We had started ambitiously. We stood in long lines for a glimpse of the luminous Fra Angelico works then on display at Palazzo Strozzi. Just after, we abandoned the endless queue at the Duomo to see, instead, Giotto’s frescos at Santa Croce, slipping next door to admire Brunelleschi’s perfectly conceived Cappella dei Pazzi and its Della Robbia sculptures. We were hardly alone at any point, but at least we could move.
Our afternoon plan—to glide gracefully into the totally overcrowded Uffizi with pre-booked tickets—collapsed in an unceremonious rejection at the entrance because we missed our time slot. We salvaged the day with a detour to San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel, where Michelangelo’s sculptures brood magnificently over the tombs of two powerful princes. It was all glorious, but by late afternoon we were more than ready to leave the bottlenecked heart of Florence behind.
The tour focuses on the Oltrarno, the “other side” of the Arno—still central, but more “neighborhoody” in feel than the gridlocked streets around the monumental duomo and Uffizi. Just before the tour’s start time, we arrived at Piazza Santa Croce with a few minutes to spare. We took the chance to duck into the Chiesa di Santo Spirito.
Inside, the calm geometry of Brunelleschi’s architecture—those pietra serena columns, arches, and porticos—felt like a harmonious antidote to our day of crowd management. The proportions are so quietly perfect they lower your blood pressure on sight.
Ellie, our guide
By the time we stepped back into the square, the sky was dimming. Our guide, Ellie, appeared. Warm, lively, and impeccably prepared, she radiated enthusiasm. Within minutes, our group of 10 Americans—strangers until that moment—felt like a small dinner party circulating through six stops in this lovely, mostly residential, part of Florence.
A Wine Window into History
DiVin Boccone, a family-run wine cellar and salumeria, sits behind a feature that’s typically Florentine: a tiny wine window, or buchetta del vino, set into the street-level facade. These stone-framed portals date back to the plague years, when wine merchants handed flasks and coins through the opening to minimize contact—an early form of social distancing. Even today, you can walk up to that same little window and order a glass of wine with almost zero human interaction.
Ellie introduces us to a wine window
Inside, we descended into a cellar carved out of the earth by nuns in the 12th century. It felt timeless: cool air, stone walls, and rows of bottles resting in the half-light. Waiting for us: individual plates of charcuterie—silky prosciutto, housemade finocchiona (cured sausage scented with fennel), and a goat cheese and fig “tartare”—along with slices of schiacciata, the Florentine cousin of focaccia.
Our wine glasses filled up with Greco di Puglia, a bright and structured white wine that matched the food beautifully, lifting the richness of the meats and the sweetness of the figs. We no longer felt like tourists, but rather like guests at a neighborhood table.
We Met the “King of Cheese”
Our second stop was a few minutes’ walk away at Sandro and Ivana’s cheese shop, where cheese is not merely sold—it is presided over. Sandro introduced himself as the “King of Cheese,” and then proved it with a crown, donned with sincerity and considerable charm. He and Ivana greeted Ellie like an old friend, and by extension welcomed all of us as if we were regulars.
The tasting was simple but brilliantly instructive:
A 36-month DOP Parmigiano Reggiano, whose crystals, salinity, and long, nutty finish reminded us why it’s truly Italy’s “king of cheeses.”
A one-month-old Pecorino Maremmano, younger, softer, milder, and almost creamy in its delicacy.
Side by side, they told a story of time, salinity, aroma, and texture—with just two cheeses, you understand something essential about Italian dairy culture. Many in our group bought wedges to take home.
Ribollita and a Proper Negroni
Just a few doors away, at Fiaschetteria Fantappié, the evening took a decidedly Tuscan turn.
We started with a sip of Vermentino from Maremma, bright with green apple notes and a clean, saline edge. It cut straight through the chill in the air. Then came a Rosso di Montepulciano, made from Sangiovese Gentile—just a year old, and fresh, fruity, and open on the palate.
They paired both with ribollita, a deeply traditional Tuscan dish and ideal winter comfort food. Yes, it’s “just” a vegetable-and-bean stew, “reboiled” with stale bread folded into it. But you cannot deny its depth of flavor. It is the definition of restorative—thick, hearty, a bit rustic, infused with the long, slow cooking of a cold-weather kitchen. On a damp Florentine night, it warmed us all to the core.
Then Comes a Bonus: Negronis.
The team at Fiaschetteria Fantappié mixed up a batch of their signature Negroni while Ellie told the origin story of Count Camillo Negroni and his namesake cocktail. He always insisted on the correct formula:
Equal parts gin, Campari, and red vermouth
Garnished with orange
Finished with the fragrant oils from a freshly peeled strip of orange zest
For contrast, we also tried a Negroni Sbagliato, in which prosecco replaces gin. Its lighter, sparkling personality was charming, but the classic Negroni—with its precise balance of bitter, sweet, and botanical—is impossible to beat.
Light-as-Air Gnudi and Sun-Soaked Sangiovese
At Trattoria da Ginone, the atmosphere shifted from wine bar to old-school trattoria. Ellie warned us in hushed tones about the formidable grandmother in the kitchen—a real culinary matriarch. However, a very friendly chef named Marco emerged, pan in hand, to cook our dish tableside: spinach and ricotta gnudi. These are, essentially, the filling of ravioli without the pasta—delicate dumplings of ricotta and spinach, rolled swiftly and lightly in flour, then sautéed gently in butter and sage.
They arrived on our plates like little clouds: soft, tender, and barely held together, coated in sage-infused butter and finished with grated Parmigiano. Utterly delicious.
To drink, a Chianti DOCG made from Sangiovese grapes grown under the hot Tuscan sun without irrigation. The wine showed fig and raisin notes, with the warm, full body that makes Sangiovese so satisfying when served alongside rich, buttery dishes. It was another place we bookmarked for a long, unhurried return visit.
Peposo and a Big Tuscan Red
By this point, one might imagine we’d reached our limit. Assolutamente no.
In the large back room of Trattoria Sant’Agostino, we gathered over bowls of peposo—a Tuscan classic said to have originated in nearby Impruneta, the town known for its terracotta. Traditionally, peposo is said to have fortified the brickmakers who fired tiles for the dome Brunelleschi designed for the Duomo.
The dish is spare in ingredients but generous in flavor: beef shank or chuck slowly braised all day in red wine with garlic and lots of cracked black pepper. What arrives at table is dark, silky, and aromatic, the meat yielding to the slightest nudge of a fork.
The wine pairing, a Ciliegiolo, was as memorable as the stew. Big-fruited and open, it hinted at cherries and red berries, with a subtle leather aroma that gave it complexity. Together, the peposo and the wine felt like a master class in wintery Tuscan robustness—hearty, bold, and memorable.
A Sweet (and Storied) Finale
After five stops, logic might suggest that dessert would be unnecessary. Ma no.
Ellie led us back toward the river, to Gelateria Buontalenti near the Ponte Vecchio, just off historic Via Guicciardini. There, among the gleaming pans of gelato, she told us the story of Catherine de’ Medici, who is often credited with bringing Florentine gelato to France when she married Henry II.
Gelato, as it turned out, did nothing to prevent Henry falling madly in love with Diane de Poitiers, but Catherine outlived him by three decades. It’s tempting, despite all medical evidence, to imagine that gelato may have contributed to her longevity. A spoonful of Buontalenti’s cool, creamy flavors certainly made a convincing argument.
It was a simple ending and a perfect one: gelato in hand, the night settling over Florence, and the slightest hint of rain beginning to fall.
Why You Should Try an Eating Europe Florence Sunset Tour
We didn’t linger long in the drizzle to say our goodbyes, but we remember our guide and our small group with fondness. The Eating Europe Florence Sunset Food and Wine Tour did more than feed us well—though it did that, superbly. It reframed the city.
After a day defined by crowds and missed entry times, the tour gave us an entirely different Florence:
A Florence of family-run wine cellars and centuries-old cellars carved by nuns.
Of cheesemongers who wear crowns and treat DOP labels like living documents
Of trattorie where gnudi are still sautéed in butter and sage at the table, and stews simmer all day in red wine.
Of neighborhood bars where a Negroni is not a trend, but a tradition.
On our next trip to Italy, we plan to book with Eating Europe again—whether in Florence or another city. For travelers who crave not just the sights but the flavors and stories of a place, this kind of curated, neighborhood-focused, small-group tour is an invaluable relief from museum lines and jam-packed must-see landmarks.
For us, Florence is still about Brunelleschi’s domes, Giotto’s frescos, and Michelangelo’s marbles. But now it is also about ribollita thickened with yesterday’s bread, Sangiovese ripened under a dry Tuscan sun, and gelato melting just a little too fast as the rain begins to fall on the stones of Oltrarno.
If your next journey to Florence leaves you hungry—for context, for connection, for something more than another crowded piazza—cross the Arno at sunset and let the city feed you. We wholeheartedly recommend that you let Eating Europe lead the way how.
