Eating out in Italy: Elba Island and the Tuscan Archipelago
Author: Bob McCormack
Lying in a broad arch off Tuscany's coast in the Tyrrhenian Sea,
the Tuscan Archipelago is Europe's largest protected marine
park. The archipelago encompasses seven main islands and several
smaller islets stretching from Gorgona in the north (almost on
the same latitude as Florence) to Giannutri in the south vith
Capraia, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo, and Giglio in betweeen.
Most of the islands are accessible to tourists, with the
exceptions of Montecristo, which is open only to marine research
scientists, and Gorgona, home only to a large prison. By far the
largest and best known is Elba, which is linked to Piombino on
the mainland by regular hydrofoil and ferry services. Famous as
the place where Napoleon was briefly exiled before his final
defeat at Waterloo, it has lovely beaches, campsites shaded by
pines and, last but not least, a flavorful and tasty traditional
fare.
The food of the Tuscan Archipelago is characterized by the
simplicity of the ingredients and the wide variety of recipes,
due to the isolation of the various communities over the
centuries. Each island has incorporated different influences in
its typical cuisine. This is particularly evident in the larger
islands such as Elba, where traditional cooking offers
differences and variations from one area to the next. There is
the Savoy cabbage of Portoferraio, the potato, egg and onion
soup of Capoliveri, the stuffed sardines of Marciana and the
'guruglione (a spanish influenced vegetable soup) of Rio Marina.
Fish is certainly the king of cooking in the Tuscan Archipelago:
from boiled octopus to 'zerri', a delicious variety of local
fish served fried, roasted, marinated, in soups or in stews. The
archipelago's tastiest seafood recipes include spaghetti with
spider crab or fresh tuna sauce, anchovies with pesto, stuffed
squid, squid with chard and the ubiquitous 'cacciucco' (a
variation on the famous fish soup from Livorno).
Elba cuisine offers some great soups in the Tuscan tradition.
The most popular recipes are made with 'cavolo nero' and beans
or with fresh chard and egg. This was traditionally prepared by
the island's farmers for the 'Lombards', a generic term used for
the seasonal labourers. As well as squid, Capraia is known for
its sammule (wild garlic) and wild asparagus fritters.
Specialties from the island of Giglio include 'coniglio alla
cacciatora' (wild rabbit cooked in a spicy tomato sauce),
'baccalà in agrodolce' (salt cod in a sweet and sour sauce)
and 'tonnina salata' (fresh tuna immersed in salted water and
then placed in brine).
All of the tasty dishes mentioned above are almost always
accompanied by some local wine. Despite the decrease of the
vineyard area over the last years, Elban grapes manage to
produce an array of fine wines, which for some years now have
been given the D.O.C. certification label (the Italian
equivalent of the French A.O.C.). Among the most renowned are
Elba Bianco (white), Elba Rosso (red), Rosato (rosè),
Moscato and Aleatico, both of which are sweet dessert wines.
Speaking of dessert wines, it is only natural to mention a
popular Elba Island treat called 'Schiaccia Briaca' (literally
'drunk cake', where the cake is drunk with Aleatico). Schiaccia
Briaca is made with kneading flour, wine, sultanas and dried
nuts. Except from the wine, many of the same ingredients can be
found also in the 'panficato', coming from Giglio Island.
Being a popular travel destination, the islands of the Tuscan
Archipelago are fille with restaurants and other eateries, even
though most of the establishments are open from late spring to
early autumn only. Many of the archipelago's restaurants offer a
variety of traditional dishes and the quality is generally good.
Before entering a place, however, it is always a good idea to
take a look at the price list displayed outside of the premise.
Smaller islands tend to be more expensive than mainland Italy
and the Tuscan Archipekago makes no exception to this rule.
If you are on a tight budget, attending one of the many food
festivals held throughout the year is an excellent way to taste
some of the local specialties spending only a few euros. Among
the several celebrations taking place periodically, the
traditional 'Squid Festival' held on November in Capraia
deserves a special mention. The festival begins with a squid
fishing contest and continues the following day with all the
fished squids cooked and eaten on the spot.
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This article is part of a series covering the most important
italian travel destinations and regional cuisines. You can
search for related articles about eating out in Rome, Florence,
Milan, Naples and Venice.
About the author:
Born in the USA, but happily ensconced in the Island of Elba
since 2001, Bob McCormack is a freelance writer with a very
special passion for food and wine. His travel articles and Elba
Islands hotels and restaurants reviews have appeared in numerous
national and international publications.
http://www.visitelba.com
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