Food and wine in Elba Island
I sapori dell'isola d'Elba
Flavours of the traditional Elban kitchen are based primarily on
simple dishes, where imagination and knowledge in the choice of
ingredients, dominate. The Elban kitchen which was once considered
poor, can today in the event of tourism, be considered refined.
Among the most popular and sought after dishes are often those which
require a long and complex preparation.
"Lo Stoccafisso alla Riese" (stock fish) is an example of a traditional Elban dish, prepared with nchiovies, onions, tomato, basil, parsley, green peppers, black olives, cappers and obviously, olive oil, chilli and salt.
Gurguglione" is another Elban specialty, originating in Rio Elba, this dish is a popular vegetable stew. Other traditional dishes include risotto made with the ink of cuttlefish (nero di seppia), stuffed calamari and the famous "cacciucco", an exquisite fish stew. Among the less complex dishes are boiled octopus,small fried "zerri" fish and finally, stuffed sardines.
After all of these delicacies mentioned above, tasting some fine Elban wine seems appropriate. Despite the radical reduction in vineyards over these last 50years, (from 3000 hectares to 200 hectares present day), Elban grapes manage to produce an array of fine wines, which for some years now, are classified as D.O.C. (italian quality guarantee).
Elban grapes manage to produce an array of fine wines, which for some years now, are classified as D.O.C. (italian quality guarantee). Among the most renowned are Elba Bianco (white), Elba Rosso (red), Rosato (rosè), Moscato and Aleatico, both of which are sweet dessert wines.
Curiosities about Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago
Islet of Cerboli
Cerboli is a calcareous islet in the canal of Piombino, at about 8 km from Elba and 6,6 km from
Piombino. The islet was propriety of the writer Carlo Cassola, and after his death, in the year 2000,
was sold by his heirs. Todays it is part of the area of the Park of the Tuscany Archipelago and is a
zone under special protection (ZPS)of Bioitaly. The islet is 0,04 km big, and it is completely
covered by cistus, garigue and mastic trees. Its botanic-faunal characteristics have not been entirely
studied, but it is sure that on it live endemic plants and animals of the Archipelago and a subspecies
of lizard that lives only in that ambient, the “ Pordacis sicula cerbolensis”. The only signs of the
presence of men on the islet are a small quarry and some ruins.
