We took a quick run down to Castellina in Chianti on Wednesday afternoon for some culinary inspiration (the drive was just about 45 minutes from Piazza San Remigio in Florence to the parking lot in Castellina). The destination was the Antica Trattoria "La Torre", a place that is well documented in the travel guide world and highly recommended from friends. We were not disappointed - although the kitchen was probably not at peak performance for lunch on a winter afternoon and we were the first table to be seated - all of the food was very good, and the Ravioli with Black Truffle sauce was outstanding (!) - the kind of dish that makes you want to come back. I also enjoyed a soup of pheasant and lentils. The wine list is simple and very local - we had the 2004 Castellare Chianti Classico, which was excellent.
