Talking Location With … author Maggie Rose: FLORENCE

13th November 2021

#TalkingLocationWith … Maggie Rose, author of Dark Dante: FLORENCE

COME FLY WITH ME…..

Dark Dante unfolds in Florence in the spring of 2000, exactly seven hundred years after Dante Alighieri set his Inferno there; disgusted with the corruption of his contemporaries, Dante decides to punish the ill-doers of his day in his magnificent epic poem. In my book, several horrendous murders are committed in quick succession. Seeing the police are making little headway finding the culprit, Maria Farrell, the niece of the first victim, Peter Farrell, decides to investigate. Because of a family feud, she never met Peter, a specialist in art history, who lived in Florence most of his life. A theatre director from Manchester, Maria shrewdly exploits her professional skills and knowledge of Shakespeare’s theatre in her attempt to solve the murder.

The writing of Dark Dante took me to Florence several times, where I had a chance to enjoy the wonders of Italy’s most magnificent Renaissance city, its delicious food and wine, together with some gourmet shopping. So are you ready for a day’s vicarious tour of Firenze, Florence, Florenz, Florenca, Florencia, according to where you come from? If you’ve got wings, like these two young ladies, we can fly on a time machine into the past …

First stop, the historic Santa Maria Novella pharmacy-cum-perfumery in Via della Scala, round the corner from the main train station. This is the oldest pharmacy in Europe, set up some four hundred years ago, and visible in the beautifully-preserved 17^th century wooden cabinets and stucco ceilings. Fast forward to 2021, and in today’s emporium, about three hundred products, including herbal remedies, perfumes, shower gels and soaps are on sale. Anthony Hopkins in the film Hannibal buys himself a bar of soap right here. Once inside, you can admire the perfumes, each in its own beautiful handcrafted bottle. If you’re looking for a special gift, or a personal treat, you’ve come to the right place. Some of the perfumes are called after famous people; the Acqua della Regina (The Queen’s scent) perfume was originally created for Caterina de’ Medici, Queen of France, following her marriage to King Henri II, while the perfume produced by Giovanni Paolo Feminis, who migrated to Cologne in Germany in 1725, is known as ‘Eau de Cologne’.

And now for a visit to the 13^th century Bargello Palace, the seat of local Government in Dante’s day, later a prison – note the heavy iron bars at the windows – while today it houses the National Museum. At the Bargello, you just have to see Giotto’s painting of Dante, one of the very few executed during the poet’s lifetime. In a faded fresco, Dante is shown in profile, dressed in a simple red tunic and hat, the colour signalling his role as Prior, namely a high-ranking statesman. But before we leave, have a peep at the many impressive collections housed in this magnificent museum.

Feeling peckish? I bet you are.  We’re approaching the Central Market, invariably abuzz with a mix of locals and tourists, enjoying a quick meal and a chat. Florentine cuisine has been famous since the Renaissance – once again it was Catherine de’ Medici, whose Florentine cooks concocted gastronomic delights that were an instant hit at the French court. Instead, at the Central Market, we’re talking Tuscan peasant food, traditionally prepared with inexpensive cuts of meat and veg. Try a Tuscan panino, made with Lampredotto (cow’s stomach) and Gorgonzola, or a tripe sandwich. Or, if you’re feeling less adventurous, go for a raw ham and cheese toastie, accompanied by a glass of Sangiovese, a full-bodied, Tuscan red wine. While you’re savouring these tasty treats, don’t forget to tune into the musicality and rhythms of the Italian spoken by the stallholders around you. Dante wrote his Divine Comedy in Italian not Latin, and the locals are still proud to speak what some claim is a contemporary version of the old vernacular.

How about a stroll to the English Cemetery to walk your lunch off? Here dozens of British and American expats are buried, without forgetting the Swiss and Russians, Among the celebs, Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the writer and poet Walter Savage Landor. Once inside the gates, the din of traffic speeding around the graveyard’s periphery suddenly fades, and we can saunter along, remembering all those people who loved, and made their home in, this very special Italian city.

Still before we say goodbye, I’ve just got to show you Pegna’s, a superbly stocked, gourmet grocer’s, in business since

1860. On display, specialties from all over the world, with Tuscan products having pride of place. Listen carefully to the expert patter of the salespeople as they explain the ins and outs of the cheese and ham on their stall. Or perhaps you’re looking for some Tuscan biscuits or cake to take home for family and friends. The pyramid of tiny biscuits displayed in the window (see photo 5) recalls a Renaissance cake fit for a queen or king, a sign of the value the management places on first-class quality and tradition.

Maggie Rose

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