Italy is famous for having a whole variety of bread making. It changes according to each region. From North to South you have rye, durum wheat, crunchy, soft, focaccia, ciabatta to name a few. It has been counted around 300 types of bread.
Visiting a very beloved region of international and local tourists, when in Tuscany you will find one of the least flavoured breads. No salt is the main characteristic of it. Back during the Second World War salt was one of the most precious ingredients to have so “cooking” with it was rarity and mostly for the privileged. Nowadays reason being is because Tuscan food is rather heavier flavoured considering their culture of eating hunting meat, their selection of cold cuts, the classic aged pecorino, all foods with intese flavour for the palate thus a choice of a more plain taste bread to go with. Or simply having a slice with drizzles of olive oil, another typical product of Tuscany.
Right in the middle of the Maremma hills you can find a stoned house with a very famous oven called ‘Forno di Montegemoli’. They produce the original recipe (with a pinch of salt, but shhh! don’t say it out loud!) and distribute to most of local panetterie (bakery) and supermarkets within 50 kms.
People come from all over to visit the location, see a tuscan wooden oven and experience the amazing landscape that surrounds the house. Not to mention the smell! You can buy it too! They bake white and whole recipes.
Absolutely worth the drive around the countryside to reach them. If you are coming from or going towards Siena, San Gimignano make sure to include this stop on your trip. Check opening hours as they don’t work on weekends.