What would be visiting Bologna and not to take any culinary experiences while you are staying in the capital of Emilia Romagna, and to be precise the capital of Italian modern cuisine. Bologna is the Fat, the Learned and the Red. The Fat is referring to the rich cuisine that it a typical signature of the area. So in short it is the best place on earth to visit for food a unique mecca for the foodies.
Pasta making classes, learn how to create Tortelllini, Tagliatelle and Tortelloni with our cooking classes in Bologna.
Paolo Atti famous pasta maker in Bologna
In Bologna pasta is made with soft semolina flour bound together with the freshest eggs. Here a unique chance to learn from a master chef how to produce the most amazing dishes starting from these simple ingredients. Fresh egg pasta here is not only Tagliatelle al Ragu’ but it comes in literally hundreds of shapes, variates, different fillings and sauces. Just to name a few of the most popular Tortellini, tiny dumpling shaped according the navel of Venus (or Lucrezia Borgia) stuffed with the tastiest produces of the land: Parmesan, Prosciutto, and Mortadella Or Tortelloni which are a bigger version but stuffed with Ricotta (a by-product of Parmesan production) and herbs. Cookery classes in Bologna include a tour of the local medieval market to buy the ingredients. The expert and professional chef will introduce you to the best Bolognese ingredients to make the perfect sauce for your pasta dish.
Cooking at home with the Cesarine in Bologna.
Cesarine is a group of ladies (and gentlemen) who are the holders of the real Bolognese cooking tradition. This organisation takes small groups of discerning cooking amateurs to private homes. Here you will be introduced to Bolognese cooking style in the most intimate way: directly at local’s home to taste the real home cooking recipes. For those not interested in hand-on experiences the Cesarine also organise lunch and dinners for family and friends travelling to Bologna. The Cesarine is a charity organisation and you will be asked to purchase an annual membership to have access to their services.
Taking a culinary walking tour in Bologna to learn about history, tradition and cuisine.
Bologna needs to be discovered step by step and the old lady will open herself to those who know where to look. Having said that Bologna needs time to be discovered, there are many hidden treasures that need to be savoured slowly. Taking an organised food tour in Bologna or just doing it by yourself is a fun thing to do while visiting the town in a day. You can visit old pasta shops such as Paolo Atti, the home land of hand made tagliatelle and tortellini in Via Drapperie 6. The premises can visited with prior booking for small and large groups. Not too far from the city centre is also possible to pay a visit to an artisanal Mortadella SALUMIFICIO PASQUINI & BRUSIANI via delle Tofane, 38 Bologna. Continuing and getting toward lunch you can also stop at the Salumeria Tamburini for a platter of cured meats, cheese served with a warm piadina and a nice glass of wine. Finally you can tickle your taste buds and tame the sweet craving at Venchi or Majani who represent the chocolate tradition of Bologna.
Even to strictly related to food you should also pay a visit to the oldest university in world that is just stone throw away from Piazza Maggiore. The wooden anatomy room is opened regularly to visitors for appreciation.
Do not forget that Emilia Delizia organises the 3 gourmet food tour from Bologna and the tour will take you to visit real parmesan cheese producers, Balsamic vinegar and Parma ham with a lunch that it will not easily forgotten, for more information please click here.
Emilia Delizia is constantly picking up foodies from Parma for our special food tour in Parma that includes visits to Parmesan cheese producers, Balsamic vinegar and Parma ham, therefore we wanted to share some information about some special places where to stay in Parma.
Parma also called the «Petit Paris» as under the French control gained some details of the French cultural influence, so the appearance of a town running along the Parma river started to look like a little Paris.
the Parma’s baptistery and Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati on the right
Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati.
Palazzo della Prati is for sure at the top of our list. Only if you can afford, it is going to be one of the best stay ever while you are in Italy. It is not a a faceless hotel but in Italy is classified as dimora storica or historical dwelling so you get to stay in a real palace, with all the frescoes, statues, chandeliers and charming gardens. On top of this you will be next to the Parma’s baptistery and Romanesque Duomo.
Rubra b&b in Parma.
Rubra is a charming bed and breakfast in right in central Parma, and you will be minutes away from all the delicacies that you find here. Also the owner is said to be a foodie and he will be very happy to point out all the secret of Parma. Rubra is a home away from home with a secluded garden in central Parma.
Villino di Porporano.
Villino di Porporano is in Porporano a small village about 15 minutes from central Parma, due to the location is better to have your own car or be prepared to take a taxi from the city centre. The villilno di Porporano is a fully restored country side villas that wants to introduce you to the charm of the past. All rustic details are taken in seriously, plenty of outdoor space in its idyllic garden. The stay includes a sumptuous breakfast and a swimming pool if you fancy a dip in the morning.
Star Hotel du Park in Parma.
Star Hotel du Park is more popular than ever. The advantages of a 4 star hotel near the city centre (and station) can be difficult to beat. It is situated in a modern building with the look and charm of the past. Along the regular rooms they also offer a vast array of suites to please all tastes. It can be good value when booked on-line and in advance.
Emilia Delizia 3 gourmet tour and farm stay included.
If you decide to stay in Parma and you have your own car, we can also organise a farm stay agriturismo stay in Parma, with Parmesan cheese production. So when you wake up in the morning you can see how the cheese is made from across the yard. The self drive itinerary also includes Traditional balsamic vinegar, and Parma ham.
Emilia Delizia.
Emilia Delizia recommends you also to visit the best of Parma while you are staying here and this includes Parmesan cheese producers, traditional balsamic vinegar that can be found in the near province of Reggio Emilia and Modena and of course you can also visit Parma ham (prosciutto di Parma) producers in Langhirano that it is no more than 30 minutes away from central Parma. And do not forget to check where to eat in Parma, and when you are too full you can take a nice walk in Parma to discover more.
How to cook the Italian t-bone steak Bistecca alla Fiorentina to perfection.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina – Emilia Delizia Food tours
Italian cuisine is not just about carbs such as bread, pizza and pasta but we have aslo good meat dishes. In Particular in Tuscany we find the Bistecca alla Fiorentina a meat dish from Florence, a massive t-bone steak that should be at least 4 cm tick and one kilo of weight. The perfect Fiorentina steak comes from cows of the Chianina breed. A native cattle of Tuscany which is reared outdoor and fed with grasses according to a strict discipline. The diet of the animals will confer high nutritional values to the beef. When buying the meet from the local butcher in Tuscany you should make sure that the cut has enough fillet, as they tend to cut it out and sell it apart, however the best Fiorentina steak must have plenty of fillet attached.
How to cook bistecca fiorentina.
How to cook bistecca alla fiorentina
The cooking of the steak is rather simply but you should follow the traditional steps if you want to obtain the perfect results. First of all it should be grilled on noble woods such as ash or oak which will confer the best flavours. When the coals start to ash the fire is hot enough. Spread them with a tool in order not to have an open flame or the meat will burn. Then position the stainless steal grill on the coal and use it only when is very hot.
To cook bistecca alla Fiorentina you will not need neither salt, nor oil, of course you can add a little seasoning at the end of the the cooking.
Once your «Griglia» is very hot, place the steak on each side for 3/5 minutes until nicely browned and a crust start to form. The following step is to cook the inside of the meat with the passive heat from the coal fire. So place the steak upright, sitting on the bone for 15/20 minutes. The traditional way wants a steak that is raw inside, but if you do not like your meat that way you can continue cooking it on the sides until it stops bleeding.
How to serve bistecca alla Fiorentina.
Once it is done, you can carve it on a wooden board and serve thin slices of the steak to each guest. A kilo portion will feed 3/4 people easily. Do not forget to get your best salads out and nice home made bread to go with. Of course you should serve Chianti Classico wine with the Italian T-bone Steak.
There is more in Modena than traditional balsamic vinegar, Emilia Delizia explores some hidden gems in the city of Aceto balsamico tradizionale and beyond.
Balsamic vinegar tour and tasting in Modena
First of all you should definitely come to Modena for 2 main reasons: balsamicvinegar (the PDO traditional one) and Ferrari sport cars. There are hundreds of acetaia (balsamic vinegar producers) around Modena, but not many are in the city centre and reachable by taxi or public transport. Traditional balsamic vinegar producers would be very happy to explain how the production happens and arrange a vinegar tasting for you.
Traditional balsamic vinegar tasting and producer tour in Modena
Mercato Albinelli – ancient food market in Modena.
The Albinelli market is the main market of the town. it was thought to replace the market that was taking place in the main piazza since medieval times. The covered market has been established in the 1930, and it is part of the historical market circuit in Italy. Here you will find all the gourmet food you always wanted. Prosciutto, culatello, fresh organic fruits and vegetables, fresh sea food and fish, cheese from Emilia Romagna and many products from all over Italy.
Modena market – Mercato Albinelli
Trattoria Aldina – Secret dining experience in Modena.
Secret and pop up restaurants are pretty much fashionable these days. Trattoria Aldina was not born to be one, however it feels like it. The entrance is not at street level and you will have to use the door bell and run up a flight of stairs to gain access. Once you get in, you have this home feeling, just like you are going to have lunch at your Italian aunty flat. And you did not see her for see for a decade. Home made fresh pasta and traditional cuisine.
Restaurant trattoria Aldina in Modena
Modena is pasta business.
In Modena you are in the centre of fresh pasta making business. Many are the shops in the city centre that make their own pasta to take away, of course you will have to have access to a kitchen to enjoy them and cook as you like. You will find tortellini, tortelloni, tagliatelle, tagliollini and other fancy shapes. Pasta in Modena is always made with soft wheat and eggs are used for binding.
Antica macelleria Ghioldi in Modena.
If you are into meat at the butcher shop Macelleria Ghioldi you will find a way to stuff your belly with cibi della memoria, of food of the memory. In other words these are forgotten dishes that the owner wanted to bring back to the present days. Like cervella impanate (breaded brains) or trippa alla parmigiana (Parma style tripes), or cotiche e fagioli (pigs skin and beans)
5 foods you should eat when visiting Bologna. This province has one of the greatest culinary tradition in Italy because its area encompasses the Appennini mountains and the Pianura Padana. The array of basic ingredients is enormous giving birth to sophisticated and traditional cuisine.
Crescentine or Tigelle.
a typical dish of Bologna and Modena: crescentine or also called tigelle
Crescentine are simple small breads traditional baked sandwiched in disks of clay and cooked by the kitchen fireplace. The ingredients for the dough are simply flour, water salt, yeast (sometimes a splash of cream). The greatness of this bread is that it becomes crispy outside and it is hot and moist inside therefore thy are just great when cut in half and stuffed with the local salumi. Crescentine are the food of the Appennini mountains and widely eaten across the provinces of Bologna and Modena. For a nice addition you should try them with Pesto alla Modenese. This nothing else than pork lard mixed with a pinch of salt, garlic, rosemary and parmesan cheese.
Mortadella
Mortadella vendor in Bologna
It is long the tradition of pork raising in the Emilia Romagna area. The meat is mostly consumed in form of sausages, salami and hams, and rarely eaten fresh. Bologna most iconic sausage is Mortadella. Lately this cooked sausage is living a revival and producers are trying to move away from the unhealthy image of a fatty sausage. According to the traditional recipe it must be made from the lean and noble parts of the animal which are ground to a fine paste, fat cubes and spices are added, then stuffed into a casing suitable for the size, and finally slowly cooked for 2/3 days at low temperature. Mortadella can be thinly sliced or cubed.
Parmigiano Reggiano.
Parmesan cheese – Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmesan cheese is the king of cheeses. Made from high quality unpasteurised milk and aged from a minimum of 12 months. However rarely it is eaten at this age. Bolognese people like their cheese when it is at least 24 months old. At this age it has fully developed its potential flavours and it is suitable to enhance the stuffing of tortellini . Bologna produces Parmigiano Reggiano only on the west bank of the Reno River. At the moment of writing there are about 10 producers of the cheese in the Bologna area, you will find more proudcers in Mantua, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. Shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano can be also enjoyed with a few drops of traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena.
Tortellini.
window shopping in Bologna: hand made tortellini
Tortelllini are the quintessential Bologna’s winter food. In town there is no Christmas without a plate of tortellini cooked in capon broth. As the legend goes they have been shaped according to the navel of Lucretia Borgia. As she checked in to a INN, the host impressed by her beauty was trying to spy her from the keyhole, but he could only see her pretty belly button. Traditionally tortellini are made from sheets of egg pasta. Then stuffed with minced pork, parmesan cheese, mortadella, prosciutto, and the recipe changes depending on the family who makes it. Today you can buy tortellini almost everywhere but the best ones are those made by hand. They are pricey but well worth every cents.
Zuppa Inglese.
To conclude our short guide to the Bologna food tour we wanted to include a dessert. After all sweets always close all good meals. Zuppa Inglese is another iconic dish of Bologna but quite common all over Emilia. This pudding is inspired from English trifles in fact the the name translate roughly to «The English Soup» . it is made from 2 custards: egg and a chocolate custard which are then layered on top of savoiardi biscuits (Italian Ladyfinger). These biscuits are spongy and especially made to soak up the liquors that are added.
A while ago the consortium of the Parmigiano Reggiano made the map below to explain where the cheese is made, in order to educate consumers and tourists about the area of production.
Protected designations of origin.
The PDO is a food labelling standard that you find in Europe to protect food that has to be made only in certain areas. This is the case of Parmesan cheese, which is required to be made from the milk coming from the production area. The organoleptic characteristics of the raw materials will be transferred in the final product. Therefore you cannot make parmigiano reggiano using milk coming from other areas, simply because the outcome will not be the same.
The discipline of cheese making.
The consortium has a discipline that imposed on each producer. The discipline is nothing else than a set of strict rules made according our ancient tradition. In short to make the cheese you need the right raw material: high quality milk and of course the skills the knowledgeable cheese masters of Emilia.
Bologna and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bologna produces the parmesan cheese only on the left bank of river Reno. In total there are only 10/12 producers in this province. If you stay in Bologna and decide to take a cheese tour, it is most likely that you will have to go to Modena to see the production.
Modena.
Coming from east, Modena is where the real parmigiano production starts. The area is of a particular interest if we look at the parmesan cheese produced on the Appenini mountains which is said to have a higher quality. This is probably due to the better water and air, being away from the industrial areas. In Modena is also possible to find organic parmesan produced from heirloom cows such as the bianca Modenese.
Mantova
Although being in Lombardy and not in Emlia Romagna, Mantua falls in the production area. in fact there are several producers of the cheese in the area south of the Po’ River. Mantova is also a producer of Grana Padano.
Reggio Emlia – The cradle of cheese making.
Bibbiano is a small town about 20 km south of Reggio Emlia, it is the confirmed cradle of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We have the first written accounts of the cheese of Parma dating back at least 9 centuries. Reggio Emilia is often overlooked by the tourists but is well worth a stop if you are interested in food.
Parma and the cheese of.
Parma along with Reggio Emlia shares highest production amounts of the area. Also the town already confirmed itself as world’s gourmet destination and food basket of Italy.
Visiting and touring a Parmesan cheese dairy in Emilia Romagna, Italy.
It is possible to visit the dairies however it is best to arrive at least the day before since the cheese is only made once a day and it is early in the morning. In the past we organised tours for people staying in Milan or in Florence, and thanks to the high speed trains it is now possible to arrive early in the morning for the visits. Emlia Delizia is a proud organiser of Parmesan cheese tours in Italy from Modena, Bologna and Parma.
Touring the Langhe in Piedmont – an area dedicated to good wine and good food.
In the Langhe region in Italy there are many families who have mastered the art of wine making. They are indeed many, or maybe just about everybody makes great wine.
In this part of Italy every family famous or not, when a child was born they used to put away a bottle to be opened on the day of his or her greatest age. No wonders that here in the Langa, as they call the gently corrugated hills, you will find the most important wines of Italy, namely Barolo, Barbaresco, Monforte, la Morra. The roads that follow the ridges of the hills, or rather “Langa» are dotted with ancient castles whose names have made the history of Italy and the Savoy family.
They have manicured gardens, marked with chalk lines which appear near the combed vineyard. The area has 4 regional wine estates which are making Barolo, Barbaresco, and Mango (The hills of Moscato ). Every year in Grinzane Cavour’s castle a literary prize is awarded, this is done between the products of 105 wineries and 12 distilleries. From the Nebbiolo grapes wines like a Barolo and Barbaresco are obtained . They are full-bodied red wines and the first Italian DOCG. It was granted in 1981, and since then other products have gained recognition: Nebbiolo, Barbera d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti, four different Dolcetto (Alba, Dogliani, Langhe Monregalesi and the famous hazelnuts from the Langhe.
The areas from Santa Vittoria d ‘Alba, Diano d’Alba, Freisa, Verduno Pelaverga all have a solid wine market and protection of their products. Just talking about these wine would fill pages, but the Langhe are much more than just wine. Bra and Murazzano are important locations for cheese production, while the western parts of the area near Cuneo produce a blue cheese which is named: Castelmagno.
Regarding beef there is an important native cow: Carrù. It is the most important Piedmontese breed. The ox’s thighs are large, and the are the triumph of mixed boiled meats (bollito misto) traditionally served on the days of the Piedmont cattle market. Also Cherasco is a celebrated culinary triumph. Then we have La Morra, which is the City of Snail. Finally we should not to forget to mention the local truffles. Of course it is the white variety and here is used grated without sparing on a dish called «tajarin” or on eggs. For the higher part of the area the so called «Alta Langa” among its contributions to gourmet food we find a pear called Madernassa, the potatoes of Mombarcaro and the hazelnut Tonda Gentile delle Langhe a product of higher quality. Its organoleptic triumphs is then seen in the nougat from the area. At the end of our tour we have Alba the City of Wine and Truffle with very important events dedicated to good food and good taste.
The gastronomic heart of Tuscany is found on the Tuscan hill: the Apennines with the flavours of the mountains, and certainly by Tyrrhenian Sea with seafood. Tuscany is mainly a hilly land and with lots of vineyard and olive trees, sunflowers, fruit orchards, woodland and pasture. A lot of elevated ground of various kind distributed over a vast territory. It is mostly cultivated and full of small scattered villages such as the Chianti area. This land is covered in lush green raging from chestnut trees to the blonde cereals in Garfagnana, then it is sometimes barren and mostly made of clay such as the Maremma which is also wild and fascinating.
It is equally varied in its basket of agricultural products that benefits from a benevolent climate influenced by the sea and by a widespread environmental integrity. Wine and oil are the main typical Tuscan food: the former with labels that will make you dream, such as Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, the latter with a production that has no equal for culinary tradition. Then we should talk about the cattle breeding. Both traditional breeds of cattle, Chianina and Maremma, provide meat for the grill and the classic cooking in clay. Also pork is important, namely Cinta Senese. Breeders are there to restore an antique flavour of meats to be used fresh or cured as prosciutto and finocchiona. As for the cheese it is worth to mention the local productions of Marzolino of Chianti.
Other agricultural products are also worth to mention as they are really outstanding For example the beans of Sorana and Pratomagno, are so important for traditional Tuscan cooking, and they are fundamental for the pasta e fagioli. There is also the Garfagnana spelt. A wheat with an ancient history, it used for soups and it is worshipped by the health-conscious. Going along we should also mention the the saffron of San Gimignano, which was a source of great wealth in medieval times, and today it is used to rediscover of ancient recipes.
The food and wine tour begins in Florence, which provides a complete overview of the regional cuisine ranging from ribollita, Florentine steak, pappa al pomodoro to pappardelle with hare and the devilled chicke. There is also a great tradition of grilled dishes such as truffled pasticcio pie and the use of offal deriving from the medieval cuisine. There is so much choice in a region that has a very long vocation for tourism and gastronomy. Along the sea we find Prato with its Medici villas and the Carmignano wine, and the cantucci biscuits. Then It is followed by Pistoia and Lucca, famous for the olive oil production, and the traditional cuisine from Versilia and Garfagnana.
By the shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea lays Massa-Carrara, on a double gastronomic border, with accents of the Liguria and the Lunigiana cuisine. Walking down the Via Aurelia through the scenarios of the Maremma you will touch Pisa, Livorno and Grosseto with a cuisine between the sea and the inner land. The standard fare is the famous fish soup and wild boar based dished, in its various preparations. If we move inland, near the territory of Siena, it lies the southern portion of the Chianti hills, with all that follows in terms of wine and oil. Further south there are undulated, barren and clay perfumed hills. Here you will find the most popular sheep in the region of the Mount Amiata, where the woods come to the border with Umbria. From there you can start investigating Arezzo and its province including Val di Chiana which is the home of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and the mountains of the Casentino. Here the cooking is done mostly with meat, mushrooms and game.
Lovers of Italian food have labelled the Regione Emilia-Romagna as “the bread-basket of Italy.” It’s easy to see why. The historic cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna are famed for their food, from the air cured and delicate prosciutto (Parma ham), parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese) and traditional aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar) – some of the quintessential ingredients of Italian cooking. The verdant Po Valley has given rise to agricultural practices that produce some of the most flavoursome and robust ingredients in the country.
Starters.
When visiting Parma, Modena and Bologna, the starters are most likely to be slices of Parma ham, culatello, Salame di Felino, and shavings of Parmesan cheese. Parma ham has a delicate sweet savouriness that it is unique to this air cured ham. Culatello has also a unique and distinctive savouriness and every bite keeps giving our flavour, with hints of aromas like black pepper. Parmesan cheese is the quintessential savoury flavour, unique and inimitable, due to the long fermenting ageing.
First courses: Pasta Dishes
Fresh egg pasta in Emilia-Romagna is an artistic affair. Indeed, the cooks of this region are believed to be the masters of fresh pasta, producing distinct varieties of stuffed tortellini, and Tortelloni. Such pastas are recognised by their intricate and delicate shapes, as well as their rich fillings, which usually include pork or soft ricotta cheese.
Tortellini or Cappelletti
These attractive little pasta dumplings are filled with the best meats of the region – prosciutto, mortadella (a local variety of sausage) and ground pork. There are many old legends as to how tortellini originally came about. The most popular tale comes from Modena, near the Castelfranco Emilia. Lucrezia Borgia checked into an inn there, and the host was so captivated by her beauty that he spied on her through the keyhole of her private room. He only got a glimpse of her navel, but was so thrilled by this sight that he immediately went to the kitchen and attempted to recreate it in the form of pasta. And thus tortellini were born. For the real connoisseur they are only served in the famous Emilian capon broth, but a cream version is also available in most restaurants.
Tortelloni
This is a larger version of tortellini, squares of egg pasta (in Emilia Romagna is commonly called sfoglia) are folded into triangle and folded one more time into a hat shape. They are commonly filled with spinach, ricotta cheese and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. They are served with a sauce – butter and sage being a local favourite, but also with a nice tomato sauce with a leaf of basil.
Passatelli
To your surprise this time it is not going to be a pasta dish. Passatelli is the poor man meal made into an elegant and refined dish, and if you visit Bologna in the winter months, it would be a sin not to have passatelli. This dish consist of dumpling made of bread crumbs, egg, and parmesan cheese. This is worked and turned into a dough and pressed through a die to obtain the classic shape. The dumplings are then served in a rich capon broth.
Zuppa reale
Along Passatelli, Zuppa reale is one of the less known dishes of the Emilian cuisine but well worth the hunt. Zuppa reale is a sort of spongy omelette like cake which is cut into cubes and served in the capon broth. The ingredients are flour, eggs, a lot of parmesan cheese, butter. The dough is cooked in the oven until golden crispy and spongy inside, then left to cool a little and cut into bite size dumpling.
Meat Dishes
Emilia-Romagna has a thousand-year history of raising swine – making it one of the most distinguished Italian regions for pork. Local pork dishes are layered in flavour, rich and hearty, and are perfect for chilly winter evenings. Veal is also a popular meaty option.
Zampone from Modena
Emilia-Romagna is famous for its decadent range of preserved meats and salamis. Zampone of Modena is a unique local treat that is often eaten at Christmas time. This winter sausage was born in 1510. Modena was under siege at the time, and food had to be preserved. As a result, ground pork, rind and other cuts were salted and stuffed into a de-boned pig’s trotter. These days, zampone is served with lentils and washed down with Lambrusco DOC.
Cotolette alle Bolognese
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese (it’s actually called tagliatelle al ragu in Italy) is not the only famous dish to emerge from Emilia-Romagna’s historical capital, Bologna. This original veal parmigiana consists of breaded veal topped with shavings of parmesan cheese. It can be also layered with prosciutto, but for an authentic and complex speciality white truffles are added as a final touch.
Bollito Misto
As the tortellini go with the broth, the meat is normally eaten as a second course. When visiting Bologna you should ask for the Carrello dei Bolliti, literally the boiled meat trolley. The waiter will oblige and push to your table a serving trolley full of succulent boiled meats. Here you will find capon, boiler chicken, beef briskets, as well as beef tongue for the more daring. The meats sliced thinly and served with salsa verde or mostarde. Salve verde is a condiment made with a base of parley and cooked carrots, boiled eggs, olive oil, vinegar, the recipes varies from location to location. Mostarda is more typical in the northern areas of Emilia Romagna and consist of fruits cooked in a light mustard sugary syrup.
Desserts
Many sweet dishes of Emilia-Romagna originated from traditional festivals highlighting the weeks before Easter. People would often indulge in sugary treats on Shrove Tuesday before the period of abstinence marked by Lent.
Tagliatelle Dolci
This sweet resemble to original pasta dish is one such Shrove Tuesday invention. Strands of tagliatelle are deep-fried, and then coated in honey. This is a popular dessert throughout Bologna. It can also be topped with sugar, cinnamon or lemon zest.
Zuppa Inglese
This directly translates to “English Soup,” but it actually refers to the Italian version of English trifle. During the 16th century, the rulers of Ferarra met with Elizabethan statesmen from England, and this contact introduced them to the delicious custardy dessert. The Italian diplomats fell in love with it, and attempted to make it using local ingredients. The Emilian version consists of pan di spagna (sponge cake), or savoiardi (finger biscuits), thick custard and Alchermes, an aromatic herb liqueur.
These are just a few of the dishes you will discover on a gastronomic journey of Emilia-Romagna. Its culinary legacy is sometimes rustic, but also elegant and refined – and is considered one of the best in all of Italy.
Digestive liquors
A meal in Italy is not finished without a shot of your favourite digestive. In Modena we have the dark and aromatic Nocino made from unripe walnuts which are steeped into pure alcohol, and sugar. The liquid is aged into oak or hash barrels for a minimum of 6 years. In Parma you will be likely to be served Barniolino. This liqueur is made from the berry of the wild growing hawthorn berries steeped into alcohol and sugar. The liquid has hints of strawberry and cherries with a pleasant bitterness.
Wines of Emilia Romagna.
Wines in the region and often sparkling red, this is unique characteristic of our products. In fact Lambrusco (Modena) and Gutturnio (Piacenza) are wines that in the tradition where double fermented in their bottles. This would give rise to a first alcoholic fermentation and then a second one which gives the bubbles to the wine. Lambrusco is a wine that is enjoyed young, often the year after the harvest, and it certainly lends itself to accompany the rich local cuisine. Remember that the perfect lambrusco is a dry wine, with an evanescent froth, purple in colour (Grasparossa variety) with hints of violet flowers.
