Gnocco fritto as we call it in Modena has different names depending from where you are eating it. In Bologna they call it crescentina fritta, in Parma torta fritta.
What is gnocco fritto exactly?
folded gnocco fritto sandwich with a couple of slices of Parma ham
It belongs to an ancient culinary tradition of Emilia where nothing had to go to waste, and one of the most common condiment in the farmers traditional was clarified lard. Gnocco fritto is simply dough made from flour, water and a pinch of salt then fried in lard, a by-product of ham and salami making. Gnocco must the eaten piping hot straight from pan. It must be puffy and empty inside. You can eat on its own for breakfast with a cappuccino. As suggested it was the typical breakfast food for the poor farmer, at the time accompanied with caffe’ latte rather than the fancy cappuccino. An other suggestion would be to make a sandwich with 2 gnocco fritto pieces and stuff them with Parma ham, Mortadella, Coppa or any other salumi that you can think of.
A modern version of gnocco fritto.
If you want to replicate the wonders of the poor but tasty cuisine of Emilia. you can simply prepare a dough using sparkling water. The bubbles in the water will make the dough expand and rise when cooked. And instead of clarified lard you can use extra virgin olive oil. This is one of the best ways to fry as olive oil withstand higher temperatures and it is easier to digest than other oils or fats.
The Italian gnocco fritto breakfast – a gem from our farmer tradition
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.
If you are planning your itinerary for your next holiday in north west Italy you should read this short article to get more insight about getting to Cinque Terre from Parma and vice versa.
What to see in Parma.
On the Emilia Delizia’s website there are many articles about the beauty of Parma. You can explore the churches and the theaters of the city in a couple of days and of course you can also plan to take a Parma ham tour or a culatello ham tour around the country side.
How to get to the Cinque Terre from Parma.
Portovenere – not Cinque Terre
The best way it is to take the regional train from Parma main station to La Spezia centrale. Unfortunately these trains are not very fast and it will take a couple of hours to get there, however the service runs at least once per hour. When you are arrive in La Spezia you will need to get the local train to the Cinque Terre. At the station you can buy a cheap ticket that will serve as a day pass and you can visit all the five lands with the same fare. From La Spezia the first of the Cinque Terre is Riomaggiore. Alternatively you could easily drive from Parma to La Spezia in just one hour by taking the A15 and head south. In busy periods it is not recommended to try to park as close as possible to the Cinque Terre, but leave your car in La Spezia and take the local train instead.
La Spezia – The forgotten gem of Liguria.
Do not leave La Spezia too quickly, often tourists do so just to regret it later. For lunch or dinner time you should not miss a meal at I Pescatori. Head to the port of La Spezia and look for for the Italians queueing in front a kiosk. I Pescatori is the unpretentious restaurant of the local cooperative of fishermen. The food is simply amazing for a ridiculous price and of course the fish just came out of their nets. It is a self service, so do not expect a posh dining experience, but what is served is very good.
Get a Ferry to the Cinque Terre and other stunning locations (Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso).
It makes sense to make La Spezia your home base, there is a lot to see around and you do not need to pay premium prices. The food is good and the town is pretty. From the port you can get ferries to almost any location in the area. If are heading to the Five Lands you can get a panoramic ferry tour from La Spezia port. The boats run regularly and some fares allow you to hop on and off to the desired location.
Portovenere. It should not be missed. The small sea town is included in the UNESCO world heritage. Revellers should take the short hike to Chiesa di San Pietro. A typical religious building with black and white stripes overlooking the steep cliffs of the Gulf of the Poets. The views are simply stunning here.
Riomaggiore to Manarola, The Route of Love.
Riomaggiore is the first of the five lands coming from La Spezia. The initial settlement is built in the XIII century and mostly composed of the Case Torri. Tower houses built by the Genoans. The clever constructions had a military purpose. In fact they were build to protect difficult areas and have a proper view of the sea. With time these buildings become small urban agglomerates and they were made pretty by plastering the stone with cheerful colours.
It is very popular to hike from Riomaggiore to Manarola by using the Via dell’ Amore, of course you can use the train instead. The ticket for the picturesque trail costs at the time of writing 5 euros. Via dell’Amore is part of a longer hike that connects all 5 lands. The Route of Love is well maintained and it is very easy to walk, making a favourite for the tourists and visitors alike. Don’t forget to add some beaches and sunbathing in the area.
The Food of the Cinque Terre.
The food in Liguria is based on the Mediterranean diet. So a lot of pasta, chickpeas, fish, fresh vegetable, olive oil and good wine. The most iconic dishes of the area are: focaccia, pesto, sfarinata, and a long array of fish dishes. Sfarinata is made using chickpeas and oilve oil. The chickpea flour is mixed with water and turned into a runny compound, then poured into a metal dish which has been previously oiled. The whole preparation is then baked in the oven. The result is a moist and tasty omelette like consistency that can be eaten on its own or even inside the focaccia. Another dish that you will repeatedly see in the area are the muscoli (mussels) that are cooked in so many way. another one is frittura mista, a mixture of white fishes, prawns, and squids that are lightly floured and then fried in olive oil.
Food tours and gourmet holidays in the Cinque Terre.
Emilia Delizia organises gourmet holidays for you and your group in the area. Activities would include cookery classes, wine tastings, accommodation packages, chauffeured transfers from and to Parma. We also would be happy to organise hiking and boat tours from La Spezia or from any of the Cinque terre, including Manarola, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso.
Food and Wine Tours in Cinque Terre.
It is possible to visit olive oil and wine farms in the area, as well as fish canneries can explored nearby. For parties interested in olive oil farming is best to come in the late autumn as it is the olive harvest times. We would be glad to organise olive picking and grape picking activities for you. And do not forget that hiking the trails is one of the main activities to do around the Cinque Terre.
Fish is always the main dish here in Liguria – Fritto misto on the right
Parma is a town in the north west of Italy, not far from Milan and the Cinque Terre. Parma is well connected via train links, motorway and recently even by air with the newly opened Verdi airport which connects the town with London Stansted. Thanking to this new possibility it is now possible to spend a long weekend to explore the best food in Italy, medieval castles and aristocratic palazzoes.
Culatello hanging from the humid cellars
The Castle of Torrechiara and Parma ham.
Heading south just 30 minutes by car from central Parma, we will find the Castle of Torrechiara. An important manor overlooking the Parma river valley. Once belonging to the Rossi family is now a museum open to everyone interested in visiting this splendid example of medieval architecture. The highlight of the visit is the magnificent “bedroom” once dedicated to Pier Maria Rossi’s lover: Bianca. But this is not all. The Torrechiara castle is only part of the fun. The castle’s adjacent town is the centre of the Parma ham production. In Langhirano you can sample the best prosciutto that you can find around, and directly from the producers too. The best of all comes when you can stay at the castle b&b and have your dinner right at Locanda del Castello a restuarant providing excellent and typical Parma style dishes.
Farm stay with Parmesan production.
To make things more interesting you could stay a selected farm and wake up in the morning with an amazing breakfast followed with a tour of parmesan cheese production. This is possible in Lesignano Bagni not far from the Parma ham production area and it also close to a balsamic vinegar producer. In fact you can visit all 3 products in just one one day with a 2 night stay.
Colorno, little Paris, and culatello ham.
The Parma province has a lot to offer and maybe you need to start to make choices in your long weekend. The area once under the French control was named the little Paris, due to the charming resemblance of the river side of the two cities. But another important guest was living in the small town of Colorno. Marie Luise duchess of Parma and wife of Napolon. She made Colorno her home and she had a whole palazzo for herself. The ducal palace of Colorno is a splendid example of renaissance architecture. Not to be missed is the hourly tour inside the palace. Do not forget to walk in the English style palace garden that is always accessible during daylight. But Colorno is home of another delicacy: Culatello ham. Probably it is the first location making the ham heading north from Parma. Remember that many producers are happy to do guided visits inside their cellars, so just follow the culatello road sign and ask.
Polesine Parmense and the Antica Corte Pallavicina.
Heading north from Parma towards the great Po’ river we will encounter an unpretentious village called Polesine. The highlight here is the building named after the noble parmense family: the Pallavicini. While the village has been moved from the shores for the river, remarkably the Antica Corte still sits next to to the banks of Po’. The Antica Corte Pallavicina has been completely restored by Massimo Spigaroli, who is the keeper of the secrets of culatello. He will oblige to show you the massive brick cellars of the palace literally filled with the precious ham. Massimo also organises cooking lessons, and ham making sessions. Cycling and boat tours of the Po’ river. Of course you can also stay at the palace by renting one of the modern and comfortable room.
Roccabianca.
Roccabianca literally the white castles lies in the flat of the Parma province just few kilometres from the Po’ River. Pier Maria Rossi not satisfied with Torrechiara castle builds another palace for Bianca (his lover) here in the foggy and marshy lands north of Parma. Roccabianca is simply spectacular, the external walls of the inner courts are completely covered in ivy. Here it is easy to imagine tales of knights and dames. But Roccabianca is also the home of the Italian author Giovannino Guareschi, maybe known more familiar to the Italians than the foreign visitors. It is still worth to mention that you can visit his house and discover this stories of Don Camillo and Peppone. Of course Roccabianca is one of the homes of Culatello, so enjoy it while you are there.
Zibello.
The home of the famous culatello and also the headquarters of the consortium. In November there is the culatello festival called Novemberpork. The local fiesta is totally dedicated to swine delicacies. Their tagline is: speriamo che ci sia la nebbia, it translates as we hope that it is going to be foggy. For many might sound strange but the producers claim that they need to open the windows of their cellars to let the fog. Apparently you will need that sort of humidity to cure the ham correctly.
Soragna.
Needless to say that here in Soragna you will find 2 things: a castle and culatello ham. It is a tiny comune with a characteristic porticoed town centre. While you are here you should visit the Rocca di Soragna, another magnificent castle with the advantage of still being inhabited by its prince descending from the Lupi family. English guided visits can be organised and culatello producers are in range.
San Secondo Parmense.
San Secondo is the home of spalla di San Secondo. A pork speciality made with the front shoulders of the animal. The cooked version is served warm with torta fritta (a earthy fried bread) coupled together it is a mind blowing experience The flat land around Parma do not produce great wines but if you come across the Fortana wine, or Fortanina you should not miss the chance to try it, light and fruity is heart-warming in those foggy nights.
Cycling Activities from Parma – Discover the great river from Polesine Parmense.
The Po’ river offers plenty of opportunities for those wanting to cycle or walk. In fact it is possible to rent bicycles locally and go on cycling tour of the area. The activities require some sort of fitness but they are considered easy trails as they are in the flat. The day can be also combined with the navigation of the Po’ river and a stop in Cremona. Of course we will include a gourmet visit to a culatello producer.
Discover the uniqueness of San Daniele Ham and explore Friuli Venezia Giulia, The best of Italy’s North-East.
San Daniele is a medieval town located in the morainic hills of Friuli, northern-east of Italy. This place in the province of Udine is famous worldwide for its tasty ham called Prosciutto di San Daniele. So, what is so unique of this ham? How is it made and how different it is from the other famous Parma ham made in Emilia Romagna Region?
The process of preparation of prosciutto is quite common: the hind leg is used and to make San Daniele is custom to leave the pig trotter on. The piece of meat is only slightly salted for a certain period of time. The amount of time that the leg should be kept under salt is determined by the weight of the meat. A piece weighing 13 Kg should be kept in a bed of salt for 13 days. One day for each kilo of weight. The ham should also have its triangular characteristic shape. Following the drying and seasoning steps for at least 10 months and allowing up to two years of ageing the hams are ready for the consortium inspection.
salting stage of San Daniele hams
The first feature of the San Daniele ham is that the pigs are bred and reared exclusively from ten regions of central-northern Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Lombrady, Piedmont, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo, Latium.) and fed with high quality fodder and a strict diet. The meat comes from authorized butchers only.
But the real trick is the geographical location of San Daniele and its micro-climate; since centuries, people have realised that this location makes the ham have a unique taste which is beyond the simple drying and preservation process. This is possible thanks to the position of this town, located between the fresh air currents from the Alps and the humid currents from the Adriatic Sea. In addition the town is located on a foothill and its excellent ventilation coupled with the low humidity of the place makes an ideal location for the seasoning of the ham. These characteristics contribute to the transformation of a simple piece of dry meat into a miracle, a mix of flavours so tasty and unique in its own. And all this by using just natural ingredients.
Thanks to this unique features in fact, the “Prosciutto di San Daniele” has been recognized as a P.D.O. product (Protected Designation of Origin) by the European Union regulation, which is in fact a label for the highest quality in terms of food.
The town of San Daniele also celebrates every year, towards the end of summer, the prosciutto festival called “Aria di Festa”, an international events that attracts thousands of tourists from the neighbouring Austria, Germany and from all over the world. A tasty and enjoyable experience which is worthwhile once in a lifetime to do also considering the beauty of this medieval town.
To reach San Daniele from Venice is quite easy. Starting from Venice go to Mestre and there take the highway up to Portogruaro. Then turn left and take the A28 and in proximity to Azzano Decimo keep left and proceed to Spilimbergo and then San Daniele. The options you have once arrived in San Daniele are plenty. You can visit the nearby medieval town like Venzone, Gemona, Spilimbergo. Or proceed to the seaside in Lignano or Grado going southwards or in Croatia if you proceed eastwards. Or alternatively proceeding northwards it will be possible to enjoy the quietness and fresh air of the Dolomites Alps, for a quite rest and a nice walking.
San Daniele ham, compared to Parma ham, is darker in colour and has a sweeter taste. For this reason Prosciutto di San Daniele is best served in thin slices together with grissini (bread sticks). Highly recommended the accomplishment with yellow-fleshed melon or with figs. Both San Daniele and Parma ham are cured only with high grade sea salt, and not not contain any sort of preservatives, on the ingredient labels we should only read: pork meat and sea salt, nothing else.
Emilia Delizia is able to organise San Daniele ham tours for interested parties. The tour include a detailed visit of one ham producer followed by a gourmet lunch with generous tasting of the local ham paired with wine. Visiting the producers requires advance bookings and the tour can be organised according to your requirements. We can transform your holiday in a memorable time.
PIADINA AN ITALIAN FLAT BREAD TO BE IMAGINATIVELY STUFFED WITH ALL SORT OF DELICACIES.
As is often happens in the gastronomic history, truest popular flavours colloquially also called “popular or poor food” are those that are guarantee to be good and healthy. The best ones are those that allow you to vary an ancient recipe and to create a traditional or a modern mean meal by just using your fantasty, in a delicious and satisfying alternative way.
The origin of the Piadina bread.
It is known and appreciated by connoisseurs and gourmets alike. The “piadina” comes from a long ancient Italian history. Someone says that everything started around the third century, according to a Roman historian. Beyond the secret knowledge in adding mysterious ingredients by the best “piadinaroli” widespread throughout the southern part of Italian Emilia-Romagna region, the basic piadina is simply composed by an handmade mixture of wheat flour, tepid water, salt, olive oil or lard. It is then laid in a thin disk-shaped flat bread with wooden tools like rolling pin and pastry-board, finally cooked on a metal plate called “testo”. Especially for those who are visiting the Adriatic Eastern coast, between an enjoyable and lively beach-life and a vibrant night-life, even in Winter, along the roads of Romagna an excellent Piadina Romagnola can be enjoyed almost anywhere. In Rimini and Ravenna restaurants offer it instead of bread to accompany the typical meal of Romagna made of tagliatelle, lasagne, cappelletti and passatelli in brodo, salami, grilled or roasted meats and vegetables.
Romagna street food.
There are also the typical Piadina’s kiosk or small specialised shop called “Piada and Cassoni” offering only piada meals both in the classical version or with various fillings that are re-invented from time to time. Whether they are near the sea or inland, these shops offer assorted menu completely dedicated to “piadina and cassoni” or “cascioni”. The “cassone” is a piadina folded and closed in on itself like a panzerotto, to wrap stuffed with stringy cheese, such as mozzarella and tomato, or sausage and potatoes and sautéed vegetables. A must try! Yes, because piada and cassoni should be eaten hot, just pulled down from the testo. They are excellent when stuffed with PDO Parma ham, soft cheese, sausage, grilled vegetables and even with sweet chocolate spread.
It is certain that if you try the real traditional piadina, you will enjoy a dish that satisfies your palate and your stomach. This experience will stay in your mind forever, renewing your desire to consume it again and again. For these reasons, the Piadina Romagnola has experienced in recent years a growing success even in large distribution as in supermarkets. Currently piadina is distributed in supermarkets pre-cooked, also proposed by local cafe’ as an snack or as a part of an aperitif. When you are having a home dinner party with friends you could choose piadina as a valid alternative to the most famous pizza, combined with a good beer or wine, such as Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore. It would be perfect when paired with cold cuts such as salami, vegetables and cheeses, such as squacquerone (a noble soft cheese from romagna) or even with a tuna and onion salad. There is no limit to the imagination when it comes to stuff a delicious piadina.
Rimini and Ravenna food and wine to die for.
Rimini and Ravenna are the two pearls of the Italian Adriatic Riviera. Here the Piada is listed in the menu of many beach restaurants. That would be perfect for enjoying the sea breeze, and while enjoying life flowing by. Someone will serve you a piadina filled with small grilled fish and a good white wine as Trebbiano or a fresh dry Albana. What are currently the best selling piadina and cassoni? Piada with parma ham, squacquerone and rocket, sausage and onion, or hazelnut chocolate spread. An other good option is cassone stuffed with tomato and mozzarella, or sausage and potatoes, as well the vegetarian one with vegetable. Buon Appetito!
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 Franciacorta area is a moraine located in the south-east of Lake lseo, bordered by the Montorfano area and the rivers of Oglio and Mella. The nearby town of Brescia was the playground of the aristocratic and the rich during the seventeenth and the eighteenth century. I was the equivalent of the Brianza . It was the noble Milanese garden of delights, where the rich build villas and devote themselves to agriculture.
Lake Iseo a stunning location between Bergamo and Brescia – Image source.
The name of the district, Franciacorta, has nothing to do with France but refers to the ancient wording from the Latin FRANCAE CURTIS. The monks and priests were granted the courts of this land to be farmed. They were free all taxes and excises. The privilege of privileges, it what we say today given the exceptional vocation of wine making of this region. The climate is mild and windy optimal for the vines. Today’s wine makers achieved one of the most interesting Italian wine projects of recent decades: to produce a wine that can arise in the collective imagination as an alternative to champagne. We call it SPUMANTE. The name of Franciacorta automatically refers to “Bubbles” or high quality sparkling wines. Today the DOCG is the highest recognition of quality which was sanctioned in 1995 and it covers the Franciacorta wines too. This was a dream come true with the colour of straws with the greenish reflections and hints of gold which are the typical colours of the Franciacorta wines. The production is subject to fermentation in the bottle of at least 18 months. The whole process from havers to to commercialisation takes at least 25 months, in order to guarantee the high quality these bottles.
The wine tour of Franciacorta can stretch over an area of about 80 km. It starts from Brescia to Erbusco, which is also the home of the Consortium right in the hearth of the wine area. These medieval towns are located on the hills. In the centre you will find the thirteenth-century parish churches. The beautiful seventeenth and eighteenth centuries villas are all around as witnesses of the aristocratic past. The whole area is very close to the Lake lseo. Here you will find the largest lake island of Italy: Montisola, also known for his intensely flavoured salami. In the kitchen the protagonist is fish. Tench is stuffed and baked, also you will find eel, whitefish and trout in the menus. Olive oil is the extra virgin olive from the Italian Lakes PDO. The landscape is stunning, furthermore Zorzino and Castro should not be missed.
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.
