A Tuscan Lunch with Troy Wheeler
On Sunday 8 September, we welcomed Meatsmith head butcher, Troy Wheeler, who took us straight to the Tuscan hills for an afternoon of Florentine cooking, emboldened by classic Italian butchery.
Together with Andrew, Troy opened Meatsmith in 2015 and last year they published their first cookbook, Meatsmith: Home Cooking for Friends and Family. A specialty butcher and wine merchant, Meatsmith prides itself on working with local farms, rare breeds, and whole animal butchery, as well as skilled in-house techniques like dry-ageing beef and smoking smallgoods.
Butchery and Tuscany are synonymous with each other. In fact, one of the world's most famous butchers (and an inspiration for Troy) is Florence's Dario Cecchini. He is famed for the revival of the Bistecca Fiorentina, a generous T-bone with fillet on one side and sirloin on the other. As Troy says, "it's a cut that brings people together over the family table." On the day, he showcased his butchery skills to break down a short loin of O'Connor beef for the lunch's steak course.
At the top of Italy's boot, many pilgrimage to eat under the dappled Tuscan sun where tables are traditionally laden with artichokes, crostini, Panzanella, pillowy stuffed pasta and char-grilled beef. Troy's memories of Tuscan lunches were the inspiration for this Bistecca feast, alongside a menu of antipasti, trippa and homemade ravioli. Accompanying Troy's menu was a selection of wine inspired by the rolling hills of Tuscany. Here, Sangiovese is celebrated as a noble grape variety with the ability to express the diversity of central Italy's finest vineyard sites.
The Menu
$150 per person, inclusive of an aperitivo on arrival.
House-made focaccia
Sage & anchovy fritti
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Spring vegetables, lemon, capers & chilli
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Trippa alla Fiorentina
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Potato ravioli, burnt butter, sage & pecorino Toscana
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Bistecca Fiorentina
Cooked over coals, served with Peara sauce, Salsa alla Dragoncello & horseradish
Fried potatoes, garlic & rosemary
Flat leaf rocket salad
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Tiramisu al Tavalo
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