The Money-changer and his Wife (Florence, Museo Nazionale del Bargello)

What were the 1 Percent of quattrocento Florence doing with their gold florins?

Buying exquisite works of art by Botticelli, Beato Angelico, and the Della Robbias.

The current, and timely, exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence through January 2012 shows how the modern banking system developed in parallel with the most important artistic flowering in the history of the Western world.

Money and Beauty: Bankers, Botticelli and the Bonfire of the Vanities is co-curated by art historian Ludovica Sebregondi and Tim Parks, writer, translator and author of Medici Money – Banking, Metaphysics and Art in Fifteenth-century Florence.

I know of Parks through his entertaining books on the expat life Italian Neighbors and An Italian Education. I’m intrigued to learn he’s a scholar of Italian art history.

According to the program notes, “the exhibition is conceived as a ‘duet’, in which the two curators present different – and sometimes opposing – views of the exhibition’s content. [They] aim to provide the visitor with an opportunity to look at art from a cross-disciplinary perspective involving economists, politicians and diplomats. It examines the story of how the Florentine Renaissance grew from the supposedly open, but more often actually hidden, relationship between art, power and money.”

The Florentine bankers practiced usury on a scale the world had never before witnessed. But, unlike today’s 1 Percent, they at least left us with The Birth of Venus and countless other treasures.

Pomodori, Fagioli, e Cipolline (Roasted Tomatoes, Beans, and Onions) Photograph by Andrea Wyner

As cultural tourists, who among us isn’t dazzled by the Tuscan sun? We see ourselves feasting beneath its rays: Platters laden with antipasti, pasta, bistecca all fiorentina, Sangiovese wine, and sweets . . . la dolce vita.

But Tuscans in their 70s, 80s, and 90s tell a story of a different table.

These old kitchen hands are the witnesses who inform Pamela Sheldon Johns’ latest cookbook Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking (Andrews McMeel). Johns, an American cookbook author who owns Poggio Etrusco, an organic agritourismo near Montepulciano, has written a cultural and culinary history of a by-gone world. Cucina Povera continua

Jessica Schlener

By Jessica Schlener

Guest Writer and Photographer

Last summer I decided to go on the adventure of a lifetime -– a 30-day tour of Europe with 48 people I’ve never met before. Nothing could have prepared me for the experience that was in store. We started in London and ended in Spain, but my heart will forever be in Italy.

The day began with a trip to the Leather Market in Florence. What a sensory overload. Beautiful handbags and coats were carefully hung throughout the market with that glorious fresh leather smell wafting through the air. I found myself falling in love with a caramel-colored briefcase.

My fingers blissfully explored the beautifully polished bag with its glossy finish and my heart knew this bag had to find its way back to the States. Something that fabulous just couldn’t be left on a stand. It needed to be shown off! I left the market, borderline skipping down the streets with pure joy, thrilled that this tiny piece of Italian perfection would be coming home with me.

The Arno River in Florence.

I met my friends back at our hotel for the next adventure of the day. We all hopped onto our bus and headed to the hills of Tuscany. The bus slowed as we became surrounded with rolling hills covered with luscious grapes ripening in the warm summer sun. Our group was welcomed into a family vineyard owned by an Italian count. At each table was a beautiful antipasto platter. Every few moments, the count’s mother entered holding a tray filled with a new sampling of their wine. Each sip seemed better than the last as the wine swirled through my mouth with flavors bursting on my very grateful tongue.

Handmade lasagna drizzled with white truffle oil.

Once we sipped and sampled several glasses of wine, the count’s grandmother came to say hello. With her she brought homemade lasagna drenched in white truffle oil made right there on the vineyard. With each bite this heavenly oil glided over my lips and onto my tongue. My eyes closed as I slipped into complete ecstasy. At this point, I was pretty sure I had found heaven.  Only in Italy do you bite into dinner and savor each individual flavor as it introduces itself to your taste buds. Eating is not just an activity, it is a sensory experience to be relished, enjoyed, and appreciated.

As we bid farewell to the count and his family the sun began to say goodnight. The bus set off for our final destination. I sat in my seat dreaming out the window of how life could not possibly get any more wonderful. However, God was not done impressing me with the beauty His world has to offer. We hopped off the bus excited to learn what our new location would bring. Our guide showed us to a gelateria on our way through the town of San Gimignano. Let me tell you, I could live and die sitting in this gelateria and be completely content with my life.

The sunset view from the medieval hill town of San Gimignano.

My flavor of choice was raspberry rosemary. I sat on this beautiful fortified hill, watching the sun kiss Tuscany goodnight, filling the summer sky with the beautiful colors of fire, enjoying each bit of my gelato as the fresh summer raspberries burst in my mouth. The sweet fruit coupled with the wonderful herbal rosemary was heavenly.

Again, I was convinced the day could not possibly get any sweeter. I called my parents when we arrived home to tell them about the most amazing day I had ever had in my young life. When my mom answered, her voice sounded like she had been crying. I asked her what was wrong.

You see, my 41-year-old Uncle John had been diagnosed with a brain tumor right before I left. Throughout my travels I had prayed for him at every church we visited. In Rome, I had a special rosary blessed in his honor. That evening I learned that my uncle’s tumor, diagnosed as untreatable, had significantly shrunk while I was away.

Tears of pure joy started streaming down my face. This unforgettable day ended with the news that I would be able to spend more time with one of the most beautiful, warm-hearted people who has ever graced this earth. I am convinced that my day in Tuscany will remain one of the best days I will ever experience. Each day I leave for work, I pick up my beautiful caramel-colored briefcase and think of how blessed I was to experience Italy in all of its splendor. This hills of Tuscany and the town of San Gimignano will always hold a special place in my heart. My next trip to Italy will be more of a welcoming home of a long-lost friend.

Jessica dedicates this article to her uncle, John Klucsarits, Jr. “You are the man with a loving heart who taught me to see the beauty and good in everything. I love you!”

Ossobucco bonus: Use a tiny spoon to capture the succulent marrow nestled inside the hole in the veal bone.

All happy families are alike (in their tradition of birthday meals). All unhappy families are different in their own way (I guess they don’t have the birthday meal tradition).

At our house, the birthday recipient gets to choose his or her birthday meal. It’s a great deal. From first course to dessert, from soup to nuts, from music to candles, it’s the whole package. And the advantage at our home is that the meal is prepared by Sharon. So it is flawless, fun, and flavorful.

I was in a bit of a quandary on February 7^th, my birthday. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. Sharon and I were out and about that day, and she suggested we go to Wegman’s, the superb, Rochester-based food retailer, to see what “spoke” to me.

I started with dessert…and chose the Wegman’s mini-marble cheesecake. That’s the birthday dessert I always want. Sharon makes the best I ever had, but as empty-nesters I didn’t want  a sweet that would be savored for days, and would last on our hips for months.

Next to the meat department: When we lived in Florence, I lusted after grilled Lombatina, the succulent veal chop served at Trattoria Benvenuto. I didn’t see any in the custom case. Not a surprise—it’s not a common cut in the U.S. Then, a brilliant entree concept…“Wait, how about veal shanks for ossobuco?”

Sharon looked at me, and admitted she had channeled that thought into my birthday-meal brain. “That’s exactly what I had in mind!” she said.

The rest was easy. We added lascinato kale and fixings for a risotto alla Milanese. I served a 2001 Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico. It was a perfect complement to the splendid meal.

The only thing better than ossobuco for your birthday? Savoring leftovers for lunch.

Ossobucco alla Milanese

(adapted from 1,000 Italian Recipes by Michele Sciccolone, Wiley)

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 meaty slices veal shank (about 1 1/2-inches-thick)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes with juice

1 cup chicken broth

2 anchovy fillets, minced

1 tablespoon minced fat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the flour on a piece of waxed paper. Dredge the veal in the flour, shaking off the excess. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.

In an ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add the veal.

Cook for about 10 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Turn and cook for about 5 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until tender.

Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, for about 5 minutes, or until the wine no longer smells of alcohol. Add the tomatoes, broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a brisk simmer. Return the meat to the pan, pushing gently to submerge in the sauce. Cover the pot and place in the center of the oven.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove the lid to check the consistency of the sauce. If it is too runny, continue baking, uncovered, for about 30 minutes longer, or until the sauce is thickened. If the sauce looks too thick, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more broth, cover and bake about 30 minutes longer, or until the veal is fork tender.

Remove the pot from the oven. Place the anchovies in a small bowl. Ladle some of the sauce into the bowl and whisk to dissolve the anchovies. Pour into the pot and stir gently to incorporate.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley and zest. Plate the shanks with the risotto (recipe follows). Spoon on the sauce and sprinkle on the parsley mixture.

Risotto alla Milanese

(from Cooking Up an Italian Life)

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

2 1/4      cups chicken broth

1              tablespoon butter, divided

2              teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2         small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Arborio or other superfino rice

1/8         teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1/8         teaspoon salt

1/4         cup dry white wine

1/2         cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the broth to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low.

In a heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice, saffron, and salt. Stir to color the rice evenly. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the wine is absorbed.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 1/2 cup of broth. Start timing the cooking.

Simmer the rice, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring frequently. After 18 minutes of cooking, start testing the rice. The rice should be tender but still hold its shape. When it is cooked, remove from the heat. (All of the broth mixture may not be needed.) Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter. Stir. Add the cheese and stir.

What Italian dish will you have for your birthday?

Share your pick by leaving a comment.

Photo by Judy Witts Francini

My American ex-pat friend Judy Witts Francini lives in Certaldo, halfway between Florence and Siena, where she teaches classes at her Divina Cucina Cooking School.

I have to share her recent post of a decadent recipe for cioccolato caldo , hot chocolate that’s as thick as a pudding because it contains an obscene amount of melted bittersweet chocolate. Just looking at her photo of a mug of cioccolato caldo— set against the backdrop of snow that Tuscany’s been pelted with— warms my spirits.

Judy credits the recipe to Leonardo Vestri who has a chocolate/gelato shop in Florence. He sometimes spikes it with a pinch of hot pepper which is the way Judy likes it. I can’t wait to sip some by the fire! How about you?