The unusual name of this dish makes even Tuscans from outside Maremma respond with an inflective ‘Eh?’ when they hear it. It seems related to the French word bouillon, which means broth, and comes in turn from the word bouillir (to boil), both of which could refer to the cooking method of this southern Tuscan dish. But an explanation I like better is that buglione (pronounced with a silent g) is also a forgotten Italian word that means a ‘confusing mixture’ or ‘a muddle’ – you could use it to describe a dish made with too many unnecessary ingredients or a chaotic situation that involves too many people, for example. From the same root, you have the word ingarbuglione, which describes a person who is something of a blunderer. This makes me wonder if the name came about because this dish was a mixture of whatever was at hand (much like Scottiglia). In the case of buglione, this is particularly about the herbs and spices added – some like to add at least three different herbs, plus a bit of heat from some chilli. Or was it named for the fact that it’s so easy that even the clumsiest person can fumble their way through the recipe? Perhaps it’s a bit of both.