Eat Outside Day in Tuscany
with local specialties, including panzanella and cantucci
Eat Outside Day is a classic celebration of both delicious travel-friendly finger foods and the alluring beauty of the outdoors. Perhaps no place combines the flavors of Italy with its breathtaking views better than Tuscany. It's easy to imagine your Tuscan picnic: rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards, grassy forests with majestic oaks and chestnut trees providing shade. And, of course, the evocative skyline of medieval cities like Siena on the horizon. Combine this beauty with the flavor of fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and the scent of almonds from the biscotti. You have the perfect Tuscan-style picnic.
Where: Eat Outside Day
Without a doubt, this is one of the Tuscans' favorite activities. When the weather starts to get warmer (even very hot) and the sunny days begin to abound, they pack the car with everything they need to eat out and... off they go! It's always an adventure, one everyone can join in on, from the youngest to the oldest. Who doesn't love the idea of setting up a picnic table under a canopy of fresh green leaves, surrounded only by the sound of grasshoppers and the flowing stream? Or perhaps the idea of taking a nap in the shade and being caressed by the cool breeze of the Tuscan parks.
But you don't have to be a local to appreciate the excitement of a picnic! Tuscany offers a surprising array of options for outdoor dining, from designated areas with tables, benches, and grills to areas with nothing less than a clean park where you can bring your towels and enjoy the scenery. For those who prefer the fresh air but not too much "nature," there are several beautiful towns, villages, and hamlets that naturally offer quiet corners where visitors can nestle in the shade of ancient brick and stone buildings and watch the world go by while munching on Tuscan delicacies.
Menu: Eat Outside Day
Of course, half the fun of a day outdoors is planning the menu! Dishes can range from the typical rice salad to the more complex stuffed zucchini or eggplant parmigiana. But many also think of a picnic as a quick bite-and-go experience, looking for traditional sandwiches and a basket of fresh seasonal fruit. One thing that remains constant when choosing an Italian picnic menu is the presence of a variety that reflects the typical goodness of Italy's culinary tradition. This means including regional dishes, grandmothers' recipes, and of course, some desserts that have graced the tables since... well, pretty much forever.
Some selections you'll almost always find on Tuscan summer menus include crunchy unsalted bread, a few slices of peppery prosciutto, and melon. Another typical summer dish is a selection of freshly picked vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and basil) combined with stale bread, extra virgin olive oil , and vinegar. Yes, we're talking about the famous panzanella, perhaps one of the best ways to show off your green thumb.
Of course, if you're only in Tuscany for a vacation, you might not have a vegetable garden, so the Eat Outside Day menu could feature a selection of cured meats, including prosciutto, salami, and perhaps even a little finocchiona, all accompanied by classic Tuscan bread. Along with the cured meats, you can't go without the typical pecorino cheese, both fresh and aged. These delicacies pair perfectly with seasonal fruits, especially grapes and figs.
