I attended two events, the first at Trattoria Mario near my studio in Florence. Ann Reavis (pictured, right), one of the Divina Cucina tour guides, joined me. Romeo Colzi opened the trattoria in the evening (it's usually open only for lunch) and had so many requests that he devoted two evenings to saying farewell to the bistecca. Dario Cecchini held the funerale for the bistecca in Panzano. Using his notoriety as the "Michelangelo of Butchers," he raised over $50,000 for the children's hospital in Florence by auctioning 200 of his huge steaks. Brandimarte, one of Florence's most famous silversmiths, bought the first one for $5,000. Townspeople, tourists, and journalists packed the streets of Panzano. It was a real wake! The hearse, town band, and widow were all there! As a final touch, Dario mounted a tombstone (pictured, far left) for the bistecca outside his butcher shop in memory of the monumental bistecca. The law prohibits the bistecca from cows over 18 months old from being served on the traditional T-bone. However, you can have a 12-month-old bistecca. If you're coming to Tuscany, you'll find Tuscan beef in some form at your favorite trattoria. As we wait for the ban to be removed on December 31, 2001, we can add to our New Year's celebration on January 1, 2002 the return of BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA! Meanwhile, EAT MEAT! "Addio Bistecca!" One of the members of the funerale band. The first bistecca went to Brandimarte. "Bravo!" NEWSLETTERS Life's Too Short [fall 2005] Pasqua [march 2005] Estate [summer 2004] Primavera [spring 2004] Tuscan Chocolate Valley [winter 2003] I Scream, U Scream, We All Scream for...Gelato! [summer 2003] Slow Food, Slow Travel [spring 2003] Sagre, Sagre, Sagre! [spring 2003] Tuscan Virgins [fall 2002] Fall Festivals [fall 2002] La Notte di San Lorenzo [summer 2002] Fireflies & Fireworks [summer 2002] I Love EWE! [spring 2002] Andrea's Christmas Dinner [winter 2001] Addio Bistecca alla Fiorentina! [summer 2001] Guelfa e Ghibellini [late summer 2001] Tartufi, Feste & Sagre [fall 2000] Piatti del Buon Ricordo [summer 2000] COMING SOON! Carrara: Marble & White Prosciutto