Just wrote a review of a place in the Maremma where we had an amazing Bistecca Fiorentina, and it reminded me of two questions I had.

First, this place (Trattoria la Vallerana) served it in a way we'd never seen before...the steak was brought extremely rare, as it should be--just nicely seared/charred on the outside--but each table was brought an extremely hot cast-iron brazier-plate where you could continue to cook the steak to your liking. Somehow these plates stayed searingly hot throughout your meal. Personally I like my steak bloody so I didn't use it much but folks all around us--and my spouse-- were happily searing away. Anyway I'd never seen this before and wondered if this brazer-at-the-table thing was common? It was fun! The steak was awesome.

Also, this restaurant had another cut of Bistecca which I wasn't familiar with...Bistecca Buttera. Lots of folks were ordering it. It seemed to be served the same way and it looked to me like a very similar cut to the Fiorentina. What is it?

quote:

Originally posted by Janet:
Bistecca Buttera. Lots of folks were ordering it. It seemed to be served the same way and it looked to me like a very similar cut to the Fiorentina. What is it?

Bistecca alla Fiorentina should be prepared strictly with free-range "Chianina" meat. Probably the "buttera" was prepard the very same way, but with meat from free-range Maremmana animals. The "butteri" are the cow-boys of Maremma.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: David,

thanks Alice, that makes sense! It really looked like the same steak.