Toscano

With Tuscany, come the beginnings of the Etruscan people. Through the many artifacts and writings discovered about this culture, we can see that they flourished for a long period of time pre-Roman domination. The Etruscans became proficient mariners, and would often use the swamps and marsh lands that surround them to catch the many different fish that swim in these waters. One such fish, Anguillae, or Eel, was plentiful in numbers and provided the nourishment needed to grow the civilization. Along with the Eel, they discovered a breed of Cow that can survive in marshland, which is called the Maremmana.

With the Etruscan people, we see many different traditions rise, which we can still see today. One of these Traditions is the way in which eels are caught. The Etruscans built an Arrow-shaped structure that allowed for only Eel to swim in, but would not let them out. Through this, modern people refined the design and bettered the technique, allowing for more eel to be caught and harvested. Another tradition that came from these people was the fact that they ate two meals per day, which was absurd during their time, as the Romans ate only once.

In terms of Food, the only foods available to them were fish, beef and different shellfish that laden the coast of Tuscany. This did not stop them from making this area the most well-known region for food in Italy. They created their own food culture, allowing them to make up their own dishes and create their own identity, instead of just being Etruscan and Roman. They became well known for their food, and people from around the world traveled there to have a taste of Italy.

Along with an identity of food, they became known for something that is solid gold for the food industry, Truffles. Some of the best truffles, both white and black, come from this area. These weird little fungi grown on the roots of trees, and offer a somewhat symbiotic relationship with the tree. As you can see, truffles are hard to find, so they used pigs, who go insanely crazy during the harvesting season. More recently, however, they have begun to use Dogs, who happily just sniff out the insanely expensive fungus, rather than eat them before the guy that forages for them can pull the 200+ pound pig off of the damn thing. Poor ol' farmer Giuseppe, who can't even make a dollar due to the pig he relies on.