Of all the famous art cities in Tuscany there is one that is a bit different, that always seems to march to its own drum. Despite being beautiful and fascinating, you sometimes have the impression that people are not really happy you're there to visit. They have nothing against tourists but they're accustomed to enjoying their wealth in peace, far away from the troubles of the land. Their splendid isolation lasted for centuries and this is why some people think that this is not really Tuscany but something else, quite different. This is also reflected in their cuisine, which is quite unlike that of the Arno valley. As we haven't been talking much about this little masterpiece of a town, rather than describing its splendid churches or art treasures, we thought it best to explain it through one of its most beloved specialties, a simple cake that has been driving its citizens insane for many centuries. This is why, this week, What's Up Tuscany will bring you back to Lucca, to tell you everything there is to know about its famous "Buccellato", the real taste of this Mediaeval town. If you listen to the full episode you will learn the very ancient origins of its weird name, how the recipe evolved with time, where it originated and how, due to its incredible popularity, in the 16th century, the Republic put a tax on it to raise money to fix the Serchio river. Buccellato is so popular that people say that if you don't have at least one slice, you can't say you've actually been in Lucca. This ubiquity opens up quite a conundrum, though: where can you find the best cake in town? Luckily for you, you've got someone that knows a thing or two about this town and can point you to two excellent bakeries where you will be able to taste this special cake in all of its glory. If you don't live around here or haven't booked a ticket to visit us already, in the final chapter I will detail you a great recipe that will allow you to bake this simple but amazing cake in your kitchen. On top of practical advice and some tricks, I'll also explain how to use it as a foundation for the "Zuppa Lucchese", a variant of the famous tiramisu that is absolutely amazing. It won't be as great as having a slice with a coffee in downtown Lucca but it will help you get to know a bit better this fascinating and sometimes puzzling city. If you bake a buccellato, don't forget to post a picture, tag us and let us know your thoughts. It would make our day :-) Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larno.it Twitter: @arno_it / @WhatsupTuscany LINKS TO SOURCES (ITALIAN ONLY) https://www.taccuinigastrosofici.it/ita/news/medioevale/pasticceria/Buccellato.html https://it.julskitchen.com/dolci/buccellato-di-lucca https://visitlunigiana.it/il-buccellato-il-dolce-delle-nonne-lunigianesi/ BACKGROUND MUSIC Pipe Choir - Bom Bom Breakthrough (Instrumental) Catmosphere - Candy-coloured Sky EzaOne - Supernova Pipe Choir - Coffee and Time Wayne John Bradley - Blues Rock Original Instrumental All released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://soundcloud.com/pipe-choir-2/pipe-choir-bom-bom-breakthrough-creative-commons-instrumental https://soundcloud.com/argofox/catmosphere-candy-coloured-sky https://soundcloud.com/argofox/ezaone-supernova https://soundcloud.com/pipe-choir-2/p-c-iii-coffee-and-time-creative-commons-instrumental https://soundcloud.com/ayneohnradley/blues-rock-original-instrumentalcreative-commons http://www.pipechoir.com/