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The history of Alcide Ancillotti's trattoria, which later became one of the most famous restaurant-hotels in Tuscany, corresponds to the history of the art of cooking in Poggibonsi. |
Traces of the family Ancillotti go back to the second middle of 1600, but only in the middle of 1800 Giuseppe Ancillotti (called 'the merchant') created the restaurant. The first dish was ' trippa alla fiorentina' (Florentine tripe) cooked by the grandmother Letizia. This dish was very appreciated by the carters who passed at that time by Poggibonsi. The fruits of that business were maturing and so in the first years of 1900 Alcide Ancillotti with his father Alessandro were managing a food and wine shop and the back-room of this shop was converted into a trattoria.In the 1920 Alcide, against suggestion of a young man who was working at that time in Poggibonsi, decided to send for the first hampers with fresh fish from Livorno. So the first Poggibonsi's fishmonger's shop was born. Maria, the first-born, endowed with great intelligence, willingness and altruism, following her father's suggestions and the teachings of Pellegrino Artusi's cookery-book, learnt to prepare many famous fish dishes for the regular guests of the trattoria. Maria received several awards for her work which went on for over 60 years. Amongst her important awards are the “Cavaliere al merito della Repubblica”(Knight of the Republic) in 1987 and the “premio alla memoria città di Poggibonsi”( city memorial prize). |
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| The two brothers Alessandro and Giuseppe have worked with Maria managing both the fish commerce and the restaurant.In 1967 the restaurant-hotel moved into its present location.Since 1967 the family Ancillotti with all the following generations have ensured the continuity of the excellent and authentic cooking tradition. |  |