The Birthday Stroll begins in the shadow of the Basilica of Santa Croce, in the omonimous square, where the FoodAmbassador – a local guide expert in food and wine – welcomes with a glass of Vernaccia wine. This wine is produced in Tuscany and in surrounding areas and it is the first white wine of the region to have received the DOCG label. Wine is paired with Tuscan crostini, the most famous are those stuffed with chicken livers, capres, oil, onions and anchovies. There are simpler versions too, such as those with cherry tomatoes, olives and truffle patè. The stroll goes on entering the Sant’Ambrogio area. Next stop takes place in a venue that recalls the ancient Tuscan cellars and where the wine is served directed from the exposed wooden barrels. Tuscan cold cuts and cheeses are paired with a white or red wine of your choice. Among the tastings there are Tuscan ham, coppa, lard of Colonnata, finocchiona and different types of pecorino. Stepping into Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood – the most authentic heart of Florence – you can meet locals going shopping at the market. A small family-run restaurant iks the next stop of the Walking Birthday Party. The restaurant offers fresh pasta everyday, which can be combined with a traditional Tuscan sauce of your choice – Tuscan ragù, truffle dressing, wild boar sauce or duck sauce. A selection of two types of pasta are served and matched with an excellent Chianti wine. A wine that is appreciated in Italy as well as abroad due to its appearance in movies like James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. The walk ends at a local pastry, where you can blow the candles out on a personalized cake and uncork a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate the special day.
