Eat Rabbit.

There are few things more beautiful than the rolling green hills and vineyards that make up the Italian region of Tuscany. There, you will find castles, leather, chianti, and some of the most delicious and down to Earth cuisine in all of Europe.

After spending an afternoon at Castello del Trebbio, a 12th century castle turned vineyard, my friends and I felt we were turning into experts of the Tuscan lifestyle and indulged in a meal authentic to the region. We went to a small city called San Gimignano which has some of the most beautiful views and delicious food in Tuscany.

For those of you who don’t know, Tuscany is most famous for tartuffo (truffles) and game meats, think venison, rabbit, goose, and wild boar. While some of the gamier cuts seem a little intimidating, they are all rich in flavors and behold a unique complexity that should be experienced at least once in a lifetime, specifically if you ever find yourself in Tuscany.

We went to dinner at a small restaurant called Antica Macelleria and indulged. For my primi piatti I ordered the ravioli. The pasta was traditionally stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese; however, the sauce is what made this dish special; gorgonzola cheese with walnuts and pears. Generally, I stay away from cheese based sauces because they are usually heavy and saturated with extra fat and cream; however, this sauce was light and the gorgonzola provided just enough bite to balance out the cream, and the pear provided a sweetness that worked well with the savory qualities of the spinach and the different cheeses; the walnuts added just the right pop of texture, which made it impossible to eat only one.

Then, for my secondi, I had rabbit stewed with tomatoes and peppers. The meat was tender and succulent, and the tomato sauce was plump, succulent, and had just enough spice. However, the real star of the table was the spaghetti with truffles that my friend ordered. The sauce was rich with cream and balanced perfectly by the earthy depth of the truffles. It was sinfully delicious.

So, if ever you find yourself in a place with new delicacies, try them. You never know, rabbit and truffles may just be your new favorite food.