A die-hard food purist would tell you that pasta is not truly Tuscan, although pasta in one form or another is on every menu in every restaurant of the region. Be sure to buy the best tomatoes you can find for the sauce-it's worth the extra expense. In our market we can get small tomatoes that are still growing on their vine that have a marvelous, ripe tomato flavor. You can purchase wonderful Italian breadsticks at an Italian market or many supermarkets. Since fresh peaches, plums, and grapes are now plentiful from Chile, we offer a bowl of the fruits on ice for dessert to enjoy with tiny cups of espresso or sugar-free cappuccino.
Votive candles illuminate the table nicely.
Symphony no 4, or one of Pavarotti's many works.