On the Tuscan trail of the world's largest cows - the Chianina

In fact it was in an upper room of this very house that Professor Ezio Marchi, known as ‘the father of the Chianina’ was born. It was he who, around 1889 initiated research which, in the same way as with the Kobe beef in Japan, transformed their centuries-old role from that of draught animals to the producers of some of the most expensive gourmet meat in the world.

So, accompanied by Anna Rigano, the friendly owner of the B&B, I set off passing Ezio Marchi’s monument in the centre of Bettolle – my destination the farm of the Fierli brothers who also own a butcher’s shop and restaurant in Bettolle.

White Whale pool (Image: free)

The cattle are indeed huge and very attractive with, in the case of the adults, porcelain white coats with black muzzles, hooves and horn tips; the calves, 50 kg at birth and putting on 2kg a day, are born a creamy-caramel colour which gradually whitens.

They all look extremely contented and the modern farm is impeccably clean and tidy. The animals are fed a carefully calibrated diet of specially selected local forage and we are shown the state-of-the-art computerised system by which feeding and cleaning is largely maintained by a robot. It strikes me how far things have progressed since the time when these cattle were pictured in prehistoric cave paintings.

Next we visit the Fierli’s butchers shop and see the huge Chianina steaks from which the traditional bistecca alla fiorentina is made; these should be 6cms thick and weigh 1 kilo. The name, derived from ‘beef steak’, comes from a time when the Tuscans traded with the British. At the restaurant I then have my first taste of the succulent Chianina beef.

The next day I visit another superb herd at Trequanda where the cattle peacefully graze the idyllic green pasture. Here, as at the Fierli’s farm visits are available.

There is a scene in the recent film about the Gucci family in which the uncle played by Al Pacino, shows off his Chianina herd with the cry, “Legacy, they are legacy … they deserve our respect and deserve our gratitude…’ and efforts are now being made to share the heritage of this amazing historic breed with a wider world.

An association, Amici della Chianina, founded in 2005 holds conferences, puts on exhibitions and tours and in the springtime, hosts a series of feasts, Chianina in Tavolo in Tour, to one of which I was lucky enough to be invited. The President Giovanni Corti, explained that pairs of chefs from local restaurants devise menus which make outstanding use of every part of the animal. The innovative dishes I tasted were accompanied by matched wines and the 90 cover, sell-out event at the Osteria del Teatro in Cortona was a truly joyous occasion.

Of course the Valdichiana has a several other unique features to offer apart from the White Giants. The area is particularly rich in terme or warm thermal springs and at the Bagno di San Filippo you can come face to face with the White Whale. No, not a cetacean but a calciferous cliff from which the therapeutic waters pour into natural woodland pools. In these, as in many other terme, you can bathe free of charge.

At San Casciano dei Bagni, however, although such bathing has also taken place for centuries, the fact that I was able to witness the unfolding of one of the most important Mediterranean archaeological excavations of the century made this a highlight of my trip. Some 24 bronzes including an incredible 6-foot statue of Apollo and one of Hygieia, plus anatomically accurate ex-votos of body parts were recently found preserved in the mud of the Bagno Grande or great pool; finds which have effectively cast a new light on history.

The Bettolle spa (Image: free)

I was shown round by Professor Emanuele Mariotti, director of the excavations, who explained with enthusiasm that although people today still come here to bathe free of charge (and indeed as we spoke we could see a couple relaxing in the stone tubs installed in the 1600s by the Grand Duchy off Tuscany) the tradition dated back to Etruscan times when it had been a vast and important religious sanctuary devoted to healing.

At some stage this Sanctuario had been struck by lightning, after which an ancient ritual compelled the burying of the votive offerings and it was the thick mud which preserved them so well. Around the 1st century the sanctuary was finally abandoned and forgotten. Now much is being learned about it including that it operated at the transition from the Etruscan to the Roman eras. In the temporary museum a travertine altar with a rare bilingual inscriptions and ex-votive offerings clearly indicate that far from warring, both peoples came here peacefully to seek cures and worship.

Excavations manned by an international group of experts and students continue to take place every summer and there are tours of the site on Saturdays. There is an interesting display in a building in the town and an historic palazzo dating from 1600 will open soon as a museum to house the marvellous finds when they come home from tours in Naples and Rome.

As well as these rare archaeological finds the Valdichiana also boasts some lesser known and unique architectural gems in the form of a series of majestic farmhouses known as Leopoldine. These were conceived by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo in the late 1700s as improved housing for his farm workers. The surrounding swamplands had been drained; the Etruscans had proposed it and Leonardo da Vinci had drawn plans for it but it was the Grand Duke who got it done and the fertile reclaimed land known as bonifica was distributed to his farmers under the sharecropping system.

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The houses contained an oven and stalls for livestock on the ground floor with the first floor providing ample living space for families and the characteristic dovecote topping the roof. Some 700 were built but with the exodus of agricultural workers to the towns many were abandoned. Now however, there is a movement by local municipalities to save these ‘rare pearls’ and some have been lovingly restored as boutique hotels, restaurants and country homes.

Returning hungry from another day’s exploring, where better to dine than at Bettolle’s own La Leopoldina restaurant which is in the Michelin Guide? The elegant ambience and Walter Raedelli’s refined cuisine made for a truly delightful evening.

It was however, in the unassuming little restaurant Betulia also in Bettolle where, in the company of local families, I enjoyed the most perfect Chianina steak.

FACTBOX

Patricia Cleveland-Peck travelled to Florence courtesy of Vueling Airlines. Flights from Edinburgh connect via Barcelona https://www.vueling.com/en

She broke her journey in Florence at the 4* Hotel Degli Orafi which is ideally situated for visiting the treasures of the city https://www.hoteldegliorafi.it/

In Tuscany she stayed at Casa Ezio March in Bettolle https://www.casaeziomarchi.com/en

For information about vacations, visits and dozens of tours contact Valdichiana Living https://www.valdichianaliving.it/en Amici Della Chianina https://www.amicidellachianina.it/

La Leopoldina restaurant https://www.ristoranteredaelli.it/

Betulia restaurant http://www.ristorantebetulia.it/