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••• The International Writers Magazine - Italia

My Endless Meal of Meat in Italy • Jenna Pulinka A Gourmet experience in Florence

Snaking lines at the Uffizi Gallery, speeding Vespas, the overcrowded Duomo, and tourists gawking at Michelangelo’s David. But in Florence I picture a butcher’s restaurant. Although Tuscany winds embrace us and offer eye-catching images, Dario’s handcrafted multi-course meal of meat, lingers in my memory.
Dario Cecchini, a widely known butcher, has a special interest in embracing every part of the animal. Although Cecchini formerly went to veterinary school, he now cares about animals and navigates his career as a butcher with that in mind. He believes there is a correlation between his butchery and poetry: they’re both art.

One of his restaurants our study abroad group visited is named Antica Macelleria Cecchini (Cecchini’s Old Butcher Shop). As we enter, we notice a gift shop attached to the restaurant including small goods such as seasonings, butters, and even raw meat to take home. There’s a small statue of a man’s body with a cow’s head on top, located near the souvenirs. To the left, is what looks like a deli counter you’d find in your local grocery store. While an American meat counter would offer a limited variety including turkey, ham, and bologna. Dario’s case of meaty delights, filling an entire side of the room, showcases sausages, salami, pepperoni, even the hoofs. 

We exit through a door from the gift shop to a staircase leading to the upper-level dining room. As we’re walking, our group is embraced by a warm sensation like stepping into your grandma’s kitchen. Kindly, we’re led to a long rectangular table with enough chairs to take up the entire side of window-view seats. Light fixtures hover over our heads like halos, creating a golden atmosphere. Briefly after we pull out the pistachio green chairs to sit, we are handed glass pitchers of seltzer and regular water. Three or four jars of Dario’s signature lard are placed in front of us. 

I look down to see a red-rimmed ceramic plate sitting on top of a placemat. In America, it would be a coloring activity to keep little ones occupied. But this placemat displays a diagram of every single part of a cow and pig (what would soon be an adored souvenir). It reads, “Carne Diem” or (Meat diem) telling us to enjoy the present moment of meat.

It’s black, red, and white picture of a cow displays seventeen body parts showing where each cut of meat originated. Alongside this cow diagram is a smaller sketch of a pig with ten parts labeled the same way. I am willing to experience this cow, but unsure how it will taste.

At the bottom of this placemat is a memo signed by Dario himself: “I believe in a good life for the animal, and a compassionate death.” To make himself clear the placemat adds, “Follow my journey from nose to tail.” One of my favorite placemat statements simply says, “I use the whole.”

Our fixed menu consists of only beef. I mean plates of strictly red meat with nothing else served with it. It’s a carnivore’s dream. Soon enough, we’re handed plates of Chianto Crudo (beef tartar), followed by Carpaccio Di Manzo (seared carpaccio) and around six plates of different cuts keep appearing.

There is a brief addition of baked potatoes with Dario’s custom pork butter. Florentine steak follows. We’re making way through our eight courses of straight-up meat. Our stomachs are making noises: Grrrrr. Our American food diets accustomed to such processed foods are not prepared for the fresh, simple meats this restaurant offers. Feeling the presence of eyes drawn to our large group of tourists, we Americans can get loud when given good food and wine. One of the English Study professors directing this trip had told us to bring some lifesaving Pepto Bismol. He was right. 

Equally fascinated as I am full, dessert arrives: lemon or olive oil cake (I can’t remember which) is presented. I had experienced a butcher’s livelihood, reaping the benefits of Dario’s passion. And none of us lacked protein. 

© Jenna Pulinka 4.2.25
Jenna is a senior at the College of Charleston - an English and Political science major, with a creative writing concentration.

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