Why Tuscan bread is unsalted.

Have you ever bite a slice of bread in a Tuscan restaurant, while you were waiting for dishes ordered, and realize it was without salt?

The reasons why the typical Tuscan bread is salt-free are really curious.

The first reason is relates to the flavors accompanied with bread.
Tuscan cuisine is rich of strong flavors like salami, ham, olive oil, “ribollita”, chicken liver sauce, tomato soup, perfect with unsalted bread.
Besides, one of the favorite snacks chosen by the farmers to energize themselves from the hard work in the fields, was the bread, necessarily without salt, soaked in wine.

The other reason is historical and legendary too: in 1100 Pisa and Florence was enemies. Pisa blocked all supply of salt to hinder Florentines people, but they didn’t give up and start to make bread without salt.
Another story tells that during the Middle Ages the salt was very expensive and the citizens of Florence, in order to not pay salt-fee, preferred to make unsalted bread.

The tradition now is a common practice and on every Tuscan table bread is served without salt, because the ideal way to taste it, is eat the bread with something else.

Are you curious to know more? Meet the massaie of the Valdichiana Senese in an exclusive cooking class by Valdichiana Living. Discover more here.