Tuscan Cibreo

An Unusual Delicacy From Italy's Centre

TUSCAN CIBREO

Tuscany, Italy (Brown)

Tuscan Cibreo is a recipe originating from Tuscany in the centre of Italy. It is a delicate stew whose main ingredients consist of chicken liver, giblets, gonads, egg yolk and butter.

This dish involves cooking the chicken gizzards in a pot and adding lemon juice and egg yolks. Tuscan cibreo is often served with Tuscan-style thinly sliced homemade bread. This dish is quite in keeping with the Tuscan style of cooking which tends to centre itself on soups and stews rather than heavy pastas. Click here for a full recipe of this dish

Catherine dei Medici

Although this meal seems quite unsophisticated, it actually holds a significant place in Italy and France’s royal history. Cibreo dates back to the Renaissance where it was considered quite refined and was heavily sought out by the wealthy. It was originally served at the beginning of important banquets in the French royal court, where the name “cibreo” comes from Latin’s “cibus regis”, meaning “the king’s food”. This dish became even more well-known due to Catherine dei Medici, France’s Queen from 1519 - 1589, who came from Italy to marry Henry Orleans, future king of France. Catherine struggled to conceive for many years after marriage, and turned to cibreo with hopes that it would increase her fertility. Catherine went on to conceive nine children in eleven years afterwards. In fact, she was apparently so fond of cibreo that she is said to have almost died from indigestion from eating too much of it in 1549.

Trattoria Cibreo, Florence 

Today, Tuscan cibreo continues to be celebrated. It is eaten all over the world, and various restaurants have named themselves after the famous dish. ‘Cibreo Italian Kitchen’ in Cleveland, Ohio, is a Tuscan-style restaurant which specialises in authentic Tuscan meals. ‘Trattoria Cibreo’ in Florence aims to return to traditional Italian dishes, and is led by one of Florence’s top chefs, Fabio Picchi. Picchi also owns and runs "Cafe Cibreo" and "Cibreo Ristorante". Take a look at their website here

Despite its somewhat daring ingredients, Tuscan cibreo remains a stylish and popular dish in many parts of the world.