"Stai Manzo" is the new hip Italian way to say relax. Literally meaning "Be like a cow"....cracks me up.
Manzo, or beef in this area, all comes from the local Chianina breed of cattle that has been reared in Umbria and Tuscany for over 22 centuries. Chianina cows are named after the Chiana river valley in Tuscany from where they originated, and are known for their large size,their characteristic porcelain white coat, and of course the high quality, and flavor of their meat. These cows are the largest and possibly the oldest breed of cattle in the world.
At L'Osteria, during this time of year, all of the grilled items are prepared on the outside grill sparing us from the extra heat in the kitchen.
The "Bistecca Fiorentina", or Porter House Steak, is by far the most preferred cut of beef, and it is served on a blistering hot marble stone grill, with a little extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. These steaks are not cut into normal, uniform portion sizes like most steaks in the US, so they can get pretty massive. I have seen steaks go out to groups of three or four that have been reminiscent of the old 96er in "The Great Outdoors". Hugeness.
Then there is the grilled beef tenderloin that is cooked and served in the same manner as the bistecca fiorentina. All of the steaks are weighed before cooking and the guests are charged per gram. The simple preparation and service reflects the quality of the meat.
