I have to
be honest, one of the things I have NOT grown accustomed to in Tuscany is the bread.
For those who have never been here, it might be a surprise to learn that Tuscan
bread has no salt. Referred to as pane 'sciocco' (the term in Tuscan dialect for saltless, but which in modern
Italian means “stupid”) this characteristic distinguishes it from almost all
the other breads in Italy
(and maybe in the world, except for Umbria ).
Personally, I don’t enjoy saltless bread – but be warned, never tell a Tuscan you
don’t think their bread is good! They get very defensive, and make you feel
like you don’t have a clue about the subject.
Since I
have been drawn into this debate before, I will explain the reasons they give
to justify the lack of salt. The first reason has historic origins. It is said
that in the 12th century the great rivalry between the republics of Pisa and Florence led to an
embargo on salt by Pisa , leaving Florence without this precious
commodity. The Florentines, rather than capitulate to their enemy, opted to
cook and make their bread without salt. In fact, there are even references made
to this in Dante’s The Divine Comedy – where he says that 'you will taste the salt
in your enemy’s bread.' Another explanation is that there was a heavy tax on salt
in Florence
during the Middle Ages, so as a result, the population made do without it for
the most common foods, like bread.
The second
reason you hear has to do with the traditional Tuscan cuisine. Most of the
region’s famous dishes are actually quite salty – so having a salt-free bread
to accompany them is a better choice. When the hearty vegetable soup called Ribollita is made, the bread without
salt helps to temper the savory flavor of the broth. Even Tuscan prosciutto is
much saltier than its counterpart from Parma .
Still
today, Tuscans will defend their bread – and claim it is better than most
others, not only for its taste but for its texture and longevity (as it tends
to stay fresh longer if carefully preserved). In addition, the ancient custom of never throwing
away stale bread remains, and there is a dish for every season to reclaim
leftover loaves. From Panzanella in
the summer to Pappa al Pomodoro in
the winter and Bruschetta and Crostini all year round, you’ll be sure
to find a way to use your old (saltless) Tuscan bread.