​Growing up I would often see spice jars labeled “Italian seasoning,” usually at the homes of friends.  It has been part of most Americans’ pantries for decades.  I never really knew what it was, though it seemed to help provide a vaguely Italian flavor to dishes.  Or what I believed at the time, at least.
 
After writing about food for nearly a decade, and researching a book about Italian food in America, I finally decided to investigate the matter.  I had never purchased Italian seasoning.  None of the Italian-themed cookbooks I had ever called for it.  I’m fairly certain that “Italian seasoning” does not exist in Italy, either.  And, it is doubtful – at least I hope it is doubtful – that the Italian restaurants you are visiting are using Italian seasoning.

So, what is it?  What is Italian seasoning?  Consulting a few reference materials and then labels at the supermarket, the dried herbs that comprise Italian seasoning usually include some combination of the following: black pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, basil, onion powder, red pepper flakes, marjoram, sage, rosemary, savory, thyme, and coriander.
 
Of these, only black pepper, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano are widely used in Italian cooking.  Black pepper is used everywhere.  Red pepper flakes – often called pepperoncino – can be found in much of the south and Abruzzo, and, more so, in every pizzeria in America.  Oregano is a staple of southern Italian cooking, especially that of Naples and the surrounding region of Campania.  Fresh basil is also extremely popular in southern, Sicilian and Ligurian cooking.  Dried basil, not really.   Fresh rosemary is used throughout Italy, often for roasted meats and grilled fish.  Fresh sage is used Tuscan preparations, the popular ravioli or tortelli in a sage-butter sauce, and the classic Roman trattoria dish, saltimbocca.  Fresh thyme is also used occasionally in Italian cooking.
 
Italian seasoning is easy to make at home, especially if you limit the mix to four ingredients like dried basil, dried oregano, dried sage, and dried thyme.  But, then again, why would you want to make it in the first place?

You might not think to venture to a very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant for cubes of fried beef served in its bar, but this bar menu-only option is really very good: the petite pieces are moist and quite flavorful, though in non-steak manner, and are surprisingly light-tasting for what appears to be just small pieces of beef.
 
As beautiful as much of the presentation is at Kuu, this just dish looks as it sounds it might; there is only so pretty a fried piece of beef can look, especially something that is meant to be eaten with a small plastic skewer.  It is just one of the many tempting delights you can find at Kuu.  And, this delicious preparation on the bar menu is an affordably and easy way to ease into the restaurant where you can certainly spend money, especially when some of the delectable, and sometimes obscure, sea creatures flown in from Japan are in store. 
 
Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain before decamping to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants, along with his team can create a wide range of refined Japanese-inspired dishes.  Those skills were on display at a seven-course media dinner the other night that included Peruvian-style crudo, nigiri sushi featuring less-frequently-seen fish, butter-poached lobster claws, small pieces of Chilean seabass wrapped in bacon, a playful brioche donut for dessert, and – for me the highlight – succulent slices of rare A5 Wagyu ribeye served with several types of mushrooms cut thinly and a bit of coconut milk.
 
Though if you don’t want to indulge in something like this, there is always the fried beef in the bar and other top-notch small plates, which, when paired with one of their very good Asian-themed cocktails, can make for an enjoyable visit in itself.
 
Kuu
947 Gessner (on the feeder of I-10 in from of Memorial Hermann), 77024, (713) 461-1688
kuurestaurant.com

​The other day I saw my friend Mel who reminded of one his favorite beers when he lived in the London area a few years ago, Hobgoblin, which also is available in town.  Where once, in the early days of the beer bar, British beers were a common sight, these have had a tough time in recent years gaining traction among the newly minted beer lovers, who tend to go for brews with huge hop profiles featuring the citrusy and resin-y notes from the bold Cascade and Liberty hops and a fair amount of alcohol.
 
British beers, top-fermenting ales like most of the hoppy domestic craft beers, are different from those.  When done well, these are typically subtle with a mild but interesting level of hop bitterness, and quite flavorful and balanced with a nice interplay of hops and malt along with a touch of fruitiness, plus a usually modest amount of alcohol, from 4.5% to 5.5% alcohol by volume.  This comparative subtlety – and considerable nuance for fresh versions of the best ones – has worked against the British beers in the American market with a large percentage of customers demanding more aggressive flavors. There is also the fact that the beers are typically tastier and certainly more interesting when served from unpasteurized casks, i.e. real ale, as these often are in pubs in England, which necessarily do not find its way to this country.
 
But, these British imports can be good beers to sample for a change, or even enjoy regularly, including or especially Hobgoblin.  From the brewery that can explain its product in more flowery prose (that is still pretty accurate, too, I’ve found):
 
“Hobgoblin is strong in roasted malt with a moderate hoppy bitterness and slight fruity character that lasts through to the end. The ruby red coloured Hobgoblin is full-bodied and has a delicious chocolate toffee malt flavour balanced with a rounded moderate bitterness and an overall fruity character.
 
ABV: 5.2% in bottle & can, 4.5% in cask [which you won’t find around here]
Bottle: 500ml
Hops: Fuggles and Styrians
Malts: Pale, Crystal and Chocolate”
 
Hobgoblin is available at Spec’s, where a four-pack costs $10.52.

10 – well, 11 – restaurants to recommend in Tuscany
 
I have been fortunate to travel to different parts of Tuscany several times over the past fifteen years.  The general level of restaurants in the region has definitely improved in the past decade or so.  Even given the ongoing economic crisis in Italy, the region is richer and more modern than ever, excellent wines even more numerous and better than ever, and the regional hospitality business has learned quite a lot dealing with well-to-do and often demanding international tourists who flock to the famous region each year.  Tuscan cuisine, long reliant on land often best suited to grapes and olives rather than a wide array of vegetables and fruits, has never been among the most exciting in Italy.  And, the traditional bread, which is found everywhere, has no salt, which is odd, and can taste odd. 
 
No matter, when done well Tuscan cooking can be very satisfying – it is in Italy after all – and it has even grown very interesting around the edges, as creativity has become more evident.  Even at neighborhood trattorias a tad off the beaten path, presentation and the array of tempting dishes has grown over the years.
 
Here are eleven restaurants to recommend when in Tuscany, listed from north to south. Ten was not quite enough. This is by no means exhaustive, or a list of the best, as there are plenty of other excellent restaurants in this wonderful region.  These are just ten that you are likely to have a very enjoyable Tuscan meal from various parts of the region.

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Set in the tiny main piazza of this upscale seaside destination that draws plenty of wealthy Europeans, including many Russian “biznessmen,” especially notable for their stunning six-foot-tall model-esque consorts that are tough to miss parading along the boardwalk or among the Prada, Fendi, Ferragamo and Tiffany stores.  This relatively new restaurant is somewhat stylish but approachable and specializes in seafood and the cuisine of the area.  The seafood is impeccably fresh and of high quality and, befitting the tony crowd the town attracts, the presentation is also very nice, even for the humbler preparations.
 
Forte dei Marmi - Ristorante il Pozzetto
Piazza Garibaldi 3c, Forte Dei Marmi
+39 0584 80255
ristoranteilpozzetto.it

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This elegant and not inexpensive seafood restaurant has been around since 1906.  It also features a very good wine list with an emphasis on white wines as you might expect.  There are a number of tempting choices among tempting, and affordable choices among the Franciacortas – Italy’s version of Champagne, and whites from Friuli plus plenty of Tuscany, of course.
 
Forte dei Marmi – La Barca
Viale Italico, 3, 55042 Forte Dei Marmi
+39 0584.89323
labarcadelforte.it

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Just off the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, a popular tourist destination in the heart of the old quarter, this humble restaurant has been serving locals and visitors since 1860.  You will find the local specialties like farro soup and tordelli with meat sauce and a number of meat options like stewed wild boar, Chianina steak, roast pork, and grilled steak cut of the famed Cinta Sinese pigs.
 
Lucca – Osteria Baralla
Via Anfiteatro 5, 55100 Lucca
+39 0583 440240
osteriabaralla.it

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Adjacent to Osteria Baralla and around the corner from the entrance to the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, this capable, quaint spot offers a range of local dishes, seafood, pizza and grilled items.
 
Lucca – Tre Merli
Via dell'Anfiteatro, 15, 55100 Lucca
+39 0583 490370
tremerlipizzaecucina.it

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Catering to tourists, this friendly and informative little wine bar across from church that is the setting for the regular Puccini concerts provides a very nice introduction to the wines and cooking of the region of Lucca.  It works equally well as stop for a flight of surprisingly good local wines – it is Tuscany, after all – artisanal Lucchese beers, a sampling of excellent, robust olive oils, or for a relaxed meal.  The kitchen does a very commendable job with a limited array of local specialties.
 
Lucca – Enoteca Calasto
Via San Giovanni, 5, 55100 Lucca
+39 0583 954267
lucca-wine-treasures.com/winebar.php
 
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In the historic heart of Pisa, a stone’s throw from the university, this comfortable, longstanding osteria (or even trattoria) is known for large portions of excellent local dishes, including seafood.  Expansive wine list, too.
 
Pisa – Osteria dei Cavalieri
Via San Frediano 3, 56126 Pisa
+39 050 580858
osteriacavalieri.pisa.it

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Very popular with tourists, though not touristy, at least in the sense that the food is traditional and terrific.  The locals like it, too.  No reservations are taken and the lines can stretch well out the door for the lively and casual trattoria that is just north of the Arno River and a few blocks from the main train station.
 
Florence – Il Latini
Via dei Palchetti, 6R, 50123 Florence
+39 055 210916
illatini.com

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The trattoria of the well-regarded Il Cibreo is deemed by many locals and regular visitors to be the most reliable of the handful of Cibreo outlets.  It is a more wallet-friendly place than the main Cibreo to enjoy Fabio Picchi’s interpretation of classic Florentine cooking.  No reservations are taken.
 
Florence – Il Cibreo Trattoria
Via dei Macci, 122R
+39 055 234 1100
edizioniteatrodelsalecibreofirenze.it

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This the thrice weekly paean to the beef steak culture of the Chianti hills from the famed butcher Dario Cecchini.  This is the place to experience the famous Italian steak, the only famous Italian steak, the glorious bistecca alla fiorentina.  It is certainly glorious when done here, and just one of six or so courses that is very heavy on the beef, though Tuscan beans might not get tastier than what is served here.  A meal is nearly all you can eat and comes with top-notch local Chianti served in oversized straw-covered bottles and finishes with Italian brandy and grappa.  The 50 € tariff is a pittance for the quality and quantity of food and the wonderful experience; Dario puts on a show announcing the courses along the way.  Reservations are a necessity, as the space is very limited.  Get there early to enjoy some terrific Dario-made salumi, olive oil and tasty Chianti in the tiny butcher shop next door, where Dario’s progenitors have been serving the village for generations.
 
Panzano – Officina della Bistecca
Via XX Luglio, 11, Panzano in Chianti
+39 055 852176
dariocecchini.com/home/officina-della-bistecca/

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This tiny hilltop town obscured by its walls and towers that impressed Dante is well worth a stop.  Il Pozzo is well worth a detour in its own right.  Right on the main piazza this serves traditional regional dishes done in an impeccable and well-mannered fashion.  Their shaded garden area is a pleasant place to dine even when the temperatures are hot.
 
Monteriggioni – Il Pozzo
piazza Roma 20 53035 Monteriggioni
+39 057 7304127
ilpozzo.net

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​ 
Though it is just around the corner from the Church of San Domenico – which holds the head of the rather famous Saint Catherine…of Siena – and the stop for regional buses, this is popular mostly just with locals.  I only knew to visit because it had been recommended by someone who lives in the neighborhood. Much more than a pizzeria, this place serves a wide range of regional dishes plus top-notch veal scaloppine, unusual for Italy.  The pizzas are quite good, too.  Plus, the views from the covered patio with the Duomo looming on a hilltop not too many blocks away might be even better than the very enjoyable fare.
 
Siena – Pizzeria di Nonno Mede
Via Camporegio, 53100 Siena
+39 0577 247966
No website

“Tuscan” as an adjective is one of the most widely misused in the world of food and restaurant advertising and, possibly even less forgivably, food writing.  Beginning in the early 1980s, likely with the opening of Il Cantinori in lower Manhattan that built on the success of the celebrity haunt Da Silvano, the Tuscan trattoria and Tuscan dishes it served eventually became hot and widely emulated around the country.

​With a strikingly beautiful landscape, seemingly countless picturesque hill towns, an amazing art-filled history, and a resulting popularity with English-speaking tourists, “Tuscan” was ripe for exploitation by marketers.  What is actual Tuscan food? 

There is no one answer and the cuisine changes throughout the region, especially going from the coast inland, as with most of Italy.  It is basically hardy and more meat-driven than other regional Italian cuisines and maybe a little less exciting.  Among other things, the typical bread is salt-free, and blander, the cheeses less grand or interesting, there are more soups than pastas, the olive oil is excellent and ubiquitous, and the region is the home of Italy’s most traditional, and best, steak dish, the fiorentina.  And, the red wine, necessarily for nearly every meal, is not too bad, either.

I’ve been fortunate to travel to the region several times over the past dozen or so years.  The associated list contains ten dishes I had on somewhat recent trip in late November to the area in southern Tuscany around Montalcino. It is not meant to be comprehensive, and it reflects the late autumn season, so fewer greens, but it includes dishes I have had on past trips.

Antipasti – crostini and bruschette

The bruschetta topped with diced tomatoes might be the most familiar dish to make the transition from Tuscany to America’s restaurant tables.  Even in November, the tomatoes served were ripe, juicy and very flavorful.  Aided by excellent olive oil that had been pressed a couple of weeks earlier and a hint of garlic, these were tough to quit for me.

The similar crostini were nearly as good. Here one is topped with a puree of black olives, not unlike a tapenade. The other featured a squash puree.  Both were delicious.  Mushrooms and a red pepper puree as crostini toppings also made appearances at other meals during the trip, but not the classic crostini di milza, featuring minced spleen.

Antipasti – grissini, prosciutto, crostino, bread, cheese

More specifically, this mixed antipasti plate, grissini con prosciutto toscano, crostino con olio extra vergine novello, Grana Padana, focaccia, and pecorino Toscano.  Grissini is not Tuscan, it’s originally from Turin, but it is sufficiently Italian that you will find it over much of Italy, especially in restaurants.  It makes for a neat way to serve a piece of prosciutto.

A simple piece of toasted bread is a perfect way to showcase the freshly pressed, fruity and delicious new olive oil.  This type of focaccia might be an import from neighboring Liguria, but it is also popular in parts of Tuscany and a nice addition to this plate, as was the Grana Padana, a great eating cheese similar to Parmigiano that is eaten throughout the country.

Antipasti – Pecorino, sausage, prosciutto, capocollo

Pecorino di Pienza is regarded to be the best cheese produced in Tuscany.  At least several of our hosts – including a French winemaker who was more fond of his homeland’s cheese – were asserting that, and I had to agree.  It was delicious at the three-month and six-month stages.

The Tuscan prosciutto is less flavorful and delicate than the great prosciutti – Parma, San Daniele, and Carpegna – but it is still usually excellent, and much better than we get from North America.  I ate more than my share, as I typically do. The Capocollo is air-cured meat from a pork shoulder served thinly sliced. It is different than the more familiar southern Italian varieties more commonly found here. The Tuscan version might be more delicate, but still with an enjoyable garlic bite.

Primo Piatto – lasagne

This might be an adaption of the famous dish that originated in Bologna, but the Tuscans, like much of Italy, seem to have long-loved this stuffed pasta creation.  You certainly find it on restaurant menus, especially near tourist centers.

The dish we had – well, dishes, as we were served similar lasagnas at lunch and a dinner at two different places – featured ragù bolognese, béchamel, a hint of tomato, and obviously freshly made pasta.  Both were terrific, and surprisingly light.

Primo Piatto – pinci

The only indigenous Tuscan pasta is pici, which is called pinci in the area around Montalcino where I was.  It is basically a fat freshly made spaghetti noodle.  These soft strands of pasta worked very well with the ragù bolognese, which is one of the creations that has country-wide currency.

Primo Piatto – ribollita

The famous hearty bean soup was a welcome dish on a cold, wet night.  As tasty as it was, I am sure it was even better the next night. We were instructed to add thinly sliced red onions on top, a Tuscan tradition.  Of course, a drizzle of two of the two-week old olive oil was also very complementary.

Primo Piatto – crema di ceci

If not nearly as hearty as the ribollita, a hot bowl of soup featuring a puree of chickpeas, was equally as welcome on a cool day.  A hint of rosemary, just made croutons, and more of the fresh olive oil made this fairly simple dish irresistible.

Secondo Piatto – rosbif

Slices of roast beef might not be expected in Tuscany, but the region seems to serve much more beef than elsewhere in Italy – at least enjoyable beef dishes – not just the famous bistecca alla fiorentina, but also tagliata, slices of steak served under arugla is commonly found.  The Chianina Valley in Tuscany is home to Italy’s most famous breed of cattle.

Whether or not most of the beef currently found in the region comes from these cows, it left the region with a beef-eating tradition that was certainly bolstered by the long tradition of tourists from Britain.  By the end of the last century the popularity of Tuscany, especially the gorgeous Chianti Classico wine region, among the Brits gave rise to the nickname “Chiantishire.”  Rosbif is the Italian way of saying “roast beef.”  This time, the roast beef featured a tuna sauce, like in the vitello tonnato.  It was the best of the beef dishes on the trip.

Secondo Piatto – spezzatino di cinghiale

Wild boar are a real problem for the grape-growers in the Montalcino appellation.  These often very large animals have a taste for the sangiovese grape, the basis for their famous wines.  Thankfully, these creatures often make it to the table and can be delicious, especially when stewed in a traditional manner such as this.

The result is rich, wonderful dish that might be just a touch gamy.  It pairs perfectly with a ready-to-consume Brunello di Montalcino.  It and steak might be the best matches for most Brunellos.  I had second helpings of this stew and a few more of the Brunello.

Contorno – roasted potatoes

We had simple roasted potatoes on at least a couple of occasions as a side dish served with the secondi piatti.  Lightly-herbed and perfectly cooked – most of the pieces had a nice crispness at its edges – these made for a proper addition to a meal on a blustery day.  A drizzle of the first-rate olive oil made these even tastier.

A delicious plate of pici at a restaurant in Monteriggioni in southern Tuscany.

Feast, the highly acclaimed offal-centric restaurant that former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni asserted had “no real peer in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and other major cities” has long since closed.  And its star chef, Richard Knight, has left Hunky Dory and the floundering Treadsack restaurant group, hopefully to return soon to the local dining landscape.  However, there are still plenty of enticing dishes served around the city that feature those lesser – and less appreciated – bits that are well worth seeking out, possibly even for the squeamish.  Offal, the edible non-muscular parts of animals such as kidneys, hearts, sweetbreads, liver tripe and blood, is an integral part of many food cultures and, though you might not realize it, a big part of the Houston dining scene.
 
Sometimes, these odd parts even take center stage, drawing plenty of applause.  One Houston establishment where brains have actually found a niche is at Indika, the modern Indian restaurant in Montrose, a few blocks from where Feast once was.  Though you might find goat brains in humble Indian or Pakistani restaurants in southwest Houston, you will certainly not find it served as attractively or tastefully as at Indika, whose kitchen quickly sautés the delicate substance with onions, potatoes and an array of piquant spices, then tops it with a tomato sauce and serves it on a paratha flatbread.  About a half-mile west on Westheimer from Indika, at Da Marco, the city’s most highly rated restaurant (scoring 29 for Food), a much more commonly served organ meat has long-graced the menu; liver.  Their calf liver “veneziana” features thinly sliced liver cooked in the classic Venetian-style accompanied with stewed onions. It is a far cry from rough-tasting cafeteria versions of liver and onions.  Though the distinctive taste of iron-rich liver is not lost, the meat at Da Marco is tender, tasty and well-complemented by both the onions and the terrific side of polenta featuring touch of sweetness.
 
Much further out on Westheimer near the Beltway, Saldivia’s, an Uruguayan steakhouse serves savory grilled sweetbreads that work very well as a rich appetizer and preface one of their excellent steaks.  Keeping with the tradition of that meat-loving part of the world that also encompasses central Argentina and southern Brazil, Saldivia’s also offers a very good morcilla, blood sausage. Also on the west side, in Spring Branch, Polonia serves the Polish version of blood sausage, kiszka, made with pig’s blood, which is sautéed with onions and served with pickles. Maybe somewhat of an acquired taste, it certainly has its fans.
 
More easily enjoyable for most, and much easier found, is pâté, an indispensible component of French gastronomy.  As part of its menu of familiar French favorites, L’Olivier on lowest Westheimer, makes a terrific pâté made with chicken livers and a bit of brandy that is light and mild, yet quite flavorful.  Not overly rich or rustic, it is very easy to eat spread on the toasted slices of baguette that accompany it.  Another traditional Gallic liver starter – and gateway to gout – that L’Olivier also offers is seared foie gras. The more casual Café Rabelais in the Rice Village does a very commendable version of the dish and sleek Etoile in Uptown features duck liver in their lauded foie gras terrine.
 
Though these and a few other restaurants provide reliable renditions of pâtés, foie gras and other fine French offal preparations, Houston is not really awash in French eateries. No matter. Offal is found almost everywhere, including top restaurants like Latin Bites, but mainly in the hundreds of area taquerias where the weekend staple is menudo, a spicy soup of beef stomach tripe and legendary hangover cure.  And, there might even be some offal in the last sausage you ate.  Just maybe.

In addition to the fondly remembered Feast, the ravioli at John Sheely's  Osteria Mazzantini well-reviewed but short-lived Italian restaurant in the Galleria area, was its signature dish, and I hope will be seen again in a Houston restaurant.  The pockets of fresh pasta are stuffed with kale, ricotta and minced calf’s sweetbreads and served in a sauce of browned butter, pine nuts, some balsamic vinegar and a touch of lemon.  Featuring well-made pasta and excellent ingredients, with the sweetbreads and plentiful butter, this is a rich and satisfying dish.  It was inspired by the ravioli that Sheely’s Italian grandmother served him when he was young.  Instead of sweetbreads, his grandmother’s ravioli were filled with calf’s brains – a delicacy commonly found in Italian restaurants over a century ago – but he thought the brains might be a little too unusual for most local diners.

An earlier version of this article originally appeared on Zagat.com

The sweetbreads at Saldivia's.