| Florence Italy accommodation as far as hotel and | | | | Stracotto or ?Pot Roast?. This is a very popular |
| farmhouse are concerned, let your imagination go | | | | weekend Sunday meal in Italy as well as in Great |
| from richly furnished five star hotels either in the | | | | Britain and North America. The Italians serve it |
| hub of the city or smaller town accommodations, | | | | over a delicious noodles bed of pasta enriched |
| hidden away in the green hued countryside. From | | | | with the Chianti wine sauce where the others |
| palaces to castles exquisitely decorated and | | | | serve it with potatoes. Here goes...... |
| pensions or guesthouses owned by friendly local | | | | Stracotto (serves 4-6 persons) |
| people. These all year round lodgings have a wide | | | | - 3 to 4 lbs. top round beef |
| price range but you can assured that good | | | | - 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves |
| bargains are to be found in the low season. | | | | - 3 medium thinly sliced carrots |
| Florence welcomes everybody to be comfortable | | | | - 3 medium diced onions |
| and caters to everyone?s budget. | | | | - rosemary leaves |
| Wealth and Comfort in Florence Italy | | | | - 2 cut up celery stalks |
| The Savoy Hotel is a favourite for those wishing | | | | - 2 cups water |
| to fulfil a desire for luxury sleeping, not forgetting | | | | - 1 lb. ripe tomatoes ( peel, seed and cut them ) |
| the shopping gallery and excellent cuisine at the | | | | - 1 fourth cup olive oil |
| restaurant. The Hotel II Guelfo Bianco on the Via | | | | - 1 and a half cup Chianti or dry red wine |
| Cavour right near the San Marco Square has | | | | - 1 tbsp. melted butter |
| antique art treasures and original paintings and | | | | - 1 tbsp. flour |
| excellent commodities. Or maybe a stay at the | | | | - salt and pepper as you like |
| Grand Hotel Baglioni with its sweeping grey stone | | | | - 1 lb. pasta of your choice |
| stairway so typical of many Florentine | | | | Roll and tie up beef and then make small holes to |
| monuments and wooden beams decorating the | | | | put the garlic into. |
| ceiling all which give you that special feeling of | | | | In a saucepan, heat the oil and slowly cook the |
| peace and relax. | | | | carrots, onions and celery until soft and add in the |
| Florence city needs to be visited during an | | | | rosemary. Push these vegetables to one side and |
| extended period of time and if this is not feasible, | | | | put the beef roll in the middle and brown on all |
| then short visits are ideal to take in all the | | | | sides at the same time as you are |
| museums. And for me, one of the best ways to | | | | sauté©(R)g the veggies. Add in the |
| do this is by staying in a small town farmhouse | | | | tomatoes and when they are getting soft, add |
| near Florence and with your Florence car rental, | | | | the wine. Boil until the wine liquid has been |
| enjoy small joints into the city. One of the cutest | | | | consumed to about one half cup and add 1 and a |
| medieval towns nearby is San Gimignano, situated | | | | half cup of water and let simmer for about 1 hour |
| in the triangle of Siena, Florence and Volterra. San | | | | more. Separate the meat and vegetables from |
| Gimignano is undoubtedly known for its thirteen | | | | the broth and let the meat cool. With remaining |
| remaining towers of the original seventy-two | | | | half cup of water mix the flour and the melted |
| which once existed. Here, you can have sweet | | | | butter in with the broth and cook, constantly |
| dreams sleeping in a mansion from the 14th | | | | stirring it for 3 minutes. Slice meat and put the |
| century and have breakfast in a precious patio. Or | | | | pasta and the sauce in the middle of the plate and |
| in a rural house with high ceilings and worked iron | | | | two or three meat slices to one side and top with |
| beds. | | | | some more sauce if desired. Bon appetite! |
| Praise Good Italian Cooking | | | | This is just one of the Florence Italy recipes that |
| At some of these farmhouses there are cookery | | | | I learned. Stay tuned for more! |
| classes and it is here where I learned to cook | | | | |