At Ristonchi, we take pride in the quality and source of our food.
We believe that the foundation of great cuisine is the use of high-quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients. That's why we source our ingredients from local farms and grow much of our own produce in our garden. The few items we don’t prepare in our own kitchen (gelato & some desserts) are sourced from the best local vendors. One of the neighboring vineyards we use for wine has been around for 550 years!
Our commitment to sustainability doesn't stop there. We strive to keep our waste low and reduce our carbon footprint. We believe that every small effort counts, which is why we have implemented sustainable practices in every aspect of our business. When you dine with us, you can be assured that you are not only enjoying delicious, authentic Tuscan cuisine but also supporting our efforts to promote sustainable, responsible food practices.
Read more about how we are reducing food waste in this article.
Events can be one of the most wasteful events in a lifetime! The first corporate event we hosted here went through thousands of plastic water bottles. We knew we had to do something immediately to stop this from happening at future events. These are some of the initiatives we’ve done in the past three years to become self-sustainable and on the path to zero waste:
1. We grow many of the fruits and veggies we serve in the restaurant in our garden. We make our own olive oil that we use for cooking and dressings.
2. After events any leftover fresh fruits and vegetables that won’t be eaten in time are preserved in olive oil, dried, frozen, made into jams, sauces, etc.
3. Any edible food excess is given to our staff members, volunteers, neighbors or donated to a local school.
4. Other food scraps are fed to our ducks and chickens. Have you ever had an egg from a chicken who eats only the best home grown organic Italian food?
5. Once the birds have had their fill it goes to the compost pile. Which is turned into gold for our garden and helps us grown more food.
6. We have 100 beehives and cultivate honey to serve to our guests. We plant flowers and herbs to feed our bees.
7. We create biochar. Burning agricultural waste out in the open is harmful for the environment but under the right conditions farm waste can be made into biochar, a form of charcoal, which can improve soil and seize carbon.
8. We grow hemp. Hemp is basically nature’s purifier. The plant captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, quickly cleaning the air we breathe as a result. In fact, for every ton of hemp produced, 1.63 tons of carbon is removed from the air, making hemp a much more effective sequester of carbon dioxide than trees.
9. We have our own fresh mountain spring water on tap. No plastic water bottles here please! We encourage our guests to bring their own reusable bottle or use a glass.
10. We forage in the forest for natural medicines and herbs. We make salves for our guests if they get a bee-sting or brew wild tea.
Olives
The silvery green olive leaves and wide gray tunks of olive trees are the symbol of Tuscany. Olive trees surround the castle and create an unmistakably Tuscan vibe. We also have olive groves throughout the forest with over 2,000 olive trees.
Honey
With the animals, there is never a dull moment, and we couldn't be happier with the bees, who are our magical little miracle workers that provide the AMAZING pure honey that we serve our guests at breakfast each day.
Olive Oil
We use our olives to make organic, cold pressed, extra-virgin olive oil. Our olive oil production begins with harvesting the olives. Traditionally, olives were hand-picked. Currently we harvest by using a shaker that transmits vibrations to the tree branches, causing the olives to drop into nets that have previously been placed under the tree canopy. Once the olives have been placed into the large harvesting boxes we take it straight to be processed since fewer than 24 hours from harvest to processing produces the highest-grade oil.
After harvesting, the olives are washed to remove dirt, leaves, and twigs. After the twigs are filtered out with grids, the fruit is ready for processing into oil. Olive oil processing begins with crushing the olives into a paste to facilitate the release of the oil from the vacuoles. Large granite stones were traditionally used to crush olives. In the early days of Ristonchi they used donkeys to pull the stone wheel around. Today we use the help of a modern processing plant.
We had a very positive experience in one field where we cultivated hemp plants and olive trees together. We realized that since hemp produces a good amount of oxygen, it benefited the growth and health of the olive trees and the aerobic soil turns out to be ideal for BOTH plant’s root systems.
Hemp
CBD is an all-natural cannabidiol that comes directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of the marijuana plant. Unlike THC, CBD is the legal alternative for people who want wellness benefits with a clear mind.
The ritual use of cannabis for healing goes back thousands of years. CBD is popular among those looking for all-natural and wide-reaching wellness. As scientists continue their research into the possible benefits of CBD, we’re proud to supply organic, single-origin hemp plants to our partnering companies as well as for our own products online and onsite. You can use CBD in many forms; oils, creams, teas or food. We’ve developed an aray of products to fit our all-natural and full-spectrum CBD into your existing lifestyle. Products include hemp flowers, CBD oil, CBD beer, CBD tea, hemp pesto and more!
Sample Menus
Brunch Buffet
Scrambled Eggs, Sausages, Croissants, Fresh Bread with Local Jams and our own Honey, Cheese Boards, Chia Seed Pudding (vegan) or Yogurt with Fruit, Fruit Bowl.
Includes Coffee, Juice and Still Water.
Specialty coffees are additional.
Vegetarian Brunch
Scrambled Eggs, Potato Bean Breakfast Hash, Croissants, Fresh Bread with Local Jams and our own Honey, Cheese Boards, Chia Seed Pudding and yogurt with toppings, Fruit Bowl.
Includes Coffee, Juice and Still Water.
Specialty coffees are additional.
Breakfast Buffet
Fresh Bread with Local Jams and Honey, Cheese Boards, Yogurt, Muesli.
Includes Coffee, Juice and Still Water.
Specialty coffees are additional.
Sample 4 Course Dinner Menu
APERITIVO
Assorted local cold cuts: Salami, prosciutto and more, served with homemade bread
Prosciutto and melon salad
Caprese platter with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil
Trio of vegetarian bruschetta:
Classic tomato and basil, Sautè zucchini and mint, Scamorza cheese and truffle oil
Selection of cheeses:
Parmigiano, pecorino and more, served with Ristonchi honey and homemade marmalade.
PRIMI/FIRST (choose 2)
Tortelli stuffed with potatoes and parmesan, served with traditional Bolognese sauce
Farfalle pasta with prawns, zucchini cream and basil
Vegetarian Option: Farfalle pasta, zucchini cream, sun dried tomato, basil
Vegetarian Option: Ravioli with browned butter and sage
SECONDI/MAIN (choose 2)
Grilled chicken, lemon and garlic marinated
Beef striploin “Tagliata Style”
Italian Pork Roast
Vegetarian: Barley salad with cannellini beans, arugula, grilled halloumi and pomegranate seeds
Vegetarian: Baked tomino cheese with Ristonchi honey and walnuts
Vegan: Caponata with hummus
SIDES (choose 2)
Roasted potatoes
Vegetable caponata
Mixed summer salad
Arugula and shaved parmesan
DESSERTS
Assorted sweets or millefoiglie cake
Dietary Restrictions and Allergies
We understand that many people have dietary restictions and we are happy to accommodate gluten free, dairy free, vegetarians, vegans and guests with allergies for no additional charges. Keep in mind if the dessert you’ve selected doesn’t meet all your guests requirements there is a charge if you’d like us to order something that fits their needs.
Halal and kosher guests can also be accommodated, however there is an additional charge per day.
We cannot cater to special diets such as Keto or Whole30 diets as our menu is designed around traditional Tuscan cuisine and the use of high quality fresh ingredients. Our chefs are committed to creating delicious dishes that showcase the authentic flavors of Tuscany, and we encourage our guests to embrace this culinary experience. If you have any questions about our menu or ingredients please don’t hesitate to ask.
Before your event you will be sent a form to fill out with any of your guests food needs. Once this is sent the chef will prepare substitutions for the menu to fit all your guests needs.