HISTORY

If it were necessary to prove to the world that an italian kitchen and a Tuscan wine cellar are compulsory cultural stops, Caterina de' Medici would have been the person best suited to the task. She was born into the Cafaggiolo branch of the Medici family on 13 April, 1529, and was the daughter of Lorenzo II. Caterina was well educated and developed a taste for parties, gaiety
and sophistication, as well as the "pleasures of the table". At the age of fourteen, she became Queen of France. When she left Italy, she took not only money and her trousseau, but also several cooks and sommeliers who had been chosen from among the noble families. This was the first and perhaps the most important contribution, to the world, as regards knowledge of both Tuscan cuisine and wine.

Today a new cooking school, "Caterina de' Medici school of Tuscan cooking", which is dedicated to diffusing the Mediterranean diet and improving the quality of life of those seeking the best things in life, is open.