Is there wild boar with polenta?
cin-GIA-le — three syllables, stress on second. 'ci' = 'ch'.
In Tuscany, Umbria, or any central-Italian trattoria where wild boar ('cinghiale') dishes are traditional.
'Cinghiale' = wild boar. 'Polenta' = boiled cornmeal, a northern Italian staple. Wild boar stewed ('in umido') or braised and served with polenta is one of the great Tuscan and Umbrian trattoria dishes — deeply satisfying in autumn and winter.
Com'è preparato il cinghiale?
How is the wild boar prepared?
Ask about the preparation — stewed, braised, in a pasta sauce
La polenta è morbida o abbrustolita?
Is the polenta soft or grilled?
Polenta can be served as soft porridge or sliced and grilled — very different textures
Il cinghiale è locale?
Is the wild boar local?
Tuscan wild boar from the Maremma is the most prized — ask about the source
Wild boar ('cinghiale') hunting is a deeply embedded tradition in Tuscany and Umbria — an activity that brings communities together in autumn. The 'cacciagione' (game hunting season) produces the ingredients for classic dishes: cinghiale in umido, pappardelle al cinghiale, spezzatino di cinghiale. The trattoria is where this tradition reaches the table.