Hello Friends,
Late summer in Florence has a particular sweetness…not loud, not showy, but one that hangs in the warm air like a secret. It’s the season when the city’s sandwich shops begin their quiet ritual. Split crispy Schiacciata, draped, silky Prosciutto, and a cloud-soft scoop of Stracciatella all crowned with sliced, luscious figs, and lastly drizzled with locally produced honey.
The Florentines wait for this moment. For a few weeks each year, Florence becomes a city obsessed. Locals line up at their favorite Schiacciata shops and tourists discover the magic by accident. Vendors stack them in wooden creates, bakeries adjust their menus, and suddenly the city is full of these salty-sweet, creamy and bright sandwiches that feel like eating the last golden days of summer….a kind of edible nostalgia. It’s yet another reminder that seasons turn, that fruit ripens, that pleasure can be fleeting and therefore more precious.
So, to celebrate this ritual I am offering this sandwich all month calling it the ‘Cortona’ after one of my favorite places in Tuscany. I’ve been doing tastings of many of my favorite Tuscan sandwiches and every time I do, this fig version ends up being the hands down favorite so I think you’re in for a unique taste treat. The only variation is that I’m drizzling ‘Hot Honey’ on my version which, btw is currently becoming all the rage being drizzled on sandwiches, flatbreads and pizzas. It just adds a certain zip to this beauty.
I hope you can join us this month and enjoy this special treat.
Ciao…
David & Tino
