Giro 2024 Stage 6: Torre del Lago Puccini (Viareggio) to Rapolano Terme

Where are we? Hanging out in Tuscany

Torre del Lago Puccini (Viareggio):  

The local tourist site tells me that Viareggio: where there’s sea on one side and the white peaks of the Apuan Alps on the other. Hasn’t everyone seen the classic snapshot of Viareggio? Stroll through the centre’s narrow streets, have an ice cream in the Pineta pine forest, take a trip to the sea in the Darsena quarter or, going even further, head to the most untouched part of the beach, the Lecciona (which is almost in Torre del Lago), and eat fish in one of the typical seafood trattorias, spending the day enjoying the authentic taste of the sea.

The most important city in Versilia, created as Lucca’s sea port, owes its name to the Via Regia, the road from the Middle Ages that passed from the city walls to the sea. 

We should apparently visit the carnival, to see the world's largest papier-mache floats. 

Giro Specialties: Traditional dishes that must be tried during a stay in Viareggio

Pasta alla trabaccolara “Trabaccolara” is a traditional Viareggio dish made using fish that hasn’t sold at the market. The name derives from the lugger, “trabaccolo”, used by the fishermen from San Benedetto del Tronto, some of whom moved to Viareggio between the 1920s and the end of the 1930s. Fish such as gurnard, scorpion fish and weever are needed to prepare the dish, to which some cooks add shellfish (although not part of the traditional recipe). The fish is cooked with tomatoes and flavoured with wine and aromatic herbs.

Risotto with squid and chardThis risotto unites the flavours of the land and the sea and is a favourite served by the local festival street kitchens during the Carnival period. To prepare the risotto, brown the squid, add the chard cut into strips and, once this has softened, add the rice and continue until the rice is cooked; finish the dish with the chopped parsley. Buon appetito!

Viareggio style “Cacciucco” Strictly with the double “C”s! A simple, traditional fishermen’s dish, this fish stew has been made since the 1500s. Cacciucco, from the Turkish “kuchuk” meaning “small”, would be prepared by fishermen as they returned to port from a fishing trip. The distinguishing feature of Viareggio cacciucco is that it uses the fish of little market value and which the fishermen on landing their catch would otherwise have discarded. To be served accompanied by toasted home made bread, preferably rubbed with garlic. Cacciucco fish stew has a strong and slightly spicy flavour.

Spaghetti “con i nicchi”So what are “nicchi”? Nicchi are what people from Viareggio call the clams or cockles found on sandy seabeds. They are cooked very simply but are extremely tasty. After purging the “nicchi” of sand by placing them in a bowl of seawater for at least 12 hours, they’re sautéed in a frying pan before adding freshly cooked spaghetti. White wine, garlic and chilli pepper are used to flavour the clams and parsley is added as a final touch.S

paghetti “con i coltellacci”“Coltellacci” in Viareggio vernacular are otherwise known as razor shells, which owe their name to the elongated, knife-like form of these molluscs that are found along the shoreline and on rocks after storms at sea. They are prepared plain or with the addition of tomatoes and have a strong, intense flavour.“

Scarpaccia”Finally, a dessert that isn’t sweet at all but which is usually eaten not only at the end of a meal but also as a snack during the day. A cake featuring finely sliced courgettes as the main ingredient. The resulting flavour, a mixture of sweet and savoury, delights the taste buds. Discover it for yourself!

Rapolano Terme: The Giro tells me that: The municipality of Rapolano Terme extends between the wooded hills of Chianti, the Val di Chiana and the Crete Senesi. This stretch of land is a work of art created by the effort and hard work of farmers, artisans and the ingenuity of its inhabitants. An endless piece of land made of villages, parish churches, castles and farms.

Giro Specialties:  This land grows high quality products such as cereals, olives, vines, or can also be left for grazing. Excellent oil, delicious vegetables, top quality meat and fragrant pecorino cheese, made from the milk of sheep that are lucky enough to feed on the variety of herbs available in the area. The cuisine is the traditional and essential one of rural Tuscany. Vegetable soups, bread soups that become “ribollite” the next day, fresh handmade pasta, and barbecued meat. Rapolano boasts a dessert called the “focaccia rapolanese”, a delicacy that can only be tasted in local bakeries and restaurants. Two disks of short pastry and almonds enclosing a mouth-watering pastry cream.

The stage: The white roads of Tuscany await the peloton today. More than 50 kms of racing and there still had been no successful breakaway. Finally though, there was a break.

At 30 kilometers we ended up Alaphilippe, Plapp, and  Sanchez at the front with Groves, Vendrame, Trentin and Fiorelli in chase. Behind them, Honore and then the peloton.

Sixteen kilometers to go and the lead group had 135 as they rode on gravel. Under 10 kms to go and the gap was still around a minute. Under 5 kms to go and they had about 30 seconds.

Alas, they would stay away but not the victor I was hoping for. Nice win for Sanchez. 

The wine: from 2021 Do.T.E Nouveau Rosato 2020

More pink! From Biondivino: From Filippo Calabresi's irreverant and psychedelic Tuscan project that is Do.T.E. Vini, the 'Nouveau' is another rose in our line up that walks the tightrope between juicy, chillable red and fleshy, substantive rosato. A red grape/white grape co-ferment of Syrah and Viognier that receives the classic Beaujolais Nouveau treatment  - whole cluster, carbonic maceration and just 1 month "aging" in  tanks. The result: strawberry lemonade (minus the fizz), golden kiwi fruits, red apple skin, and watermelon taffy. Chug-a-lug!

The food: Foccacia Raolanese

A local website shares this recipe

Ingredients

• 150 g. of almonds
• 150 g. of butter
• 150 g. of sugar
• 270 g. of white flour
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon icing sugar
• Vin Santo to taste

 
For the custard:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• ½ liter of milk
• A pinch of vanilla sugar
• The zest of a lemon

 

The name can be misleading. Focaccia di Rapolano is a simple and delicious traditional dessert. Two discs of shortcrust pastry and almonds joined by custard. Each Rapolanese family makes it differently, small details that make the recipe unique.

 
PREPARATION
1. Chop the almonds and add butter, sugar, flour and eggs. Knead until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
2. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape two ½ cm high discs.
3. Cook the discs in a preheated oven at 180° for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven when they are golden brown.
4. Now prepare the custard. Heat the milk and add the lemon zest and vanilla sugar. 
5. Pour the egg yolks and sugar into a pan. Beat with a whisk until you obtain a frothy mixture. Add the sifted flour and mix to incorporate it.
6. Pour the hot (not boiling) milk slowly into the mixture. Place on the heat and, without stopping stirring, bring to the boil, lower the heat and continue to cook for 3 or 4 minutes.
7. Pour the cream into a bowl to stop cooking. 
8. Wet a disc with Vin Santo and cover it with custard. Then place the other disc on top, previously moistened with Vin Santo on the part in contact with the cream.
9. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.