Sure, Italy has glorious scenery and a cultural history that is second to none, but in the midst of all that exploring and sightseeing, one does need to eat. And Italy is a country where you can eat your weight in pasta and pizza and still have plenty of fabulous food alternatives.

One of the many benefits of touring Bologna, Modena and the other cities of the region is the food.

The Emilia-Romagna region has the highest concentration of DOP (protected denomination of origin) products in the entire world. DOP means products must meet strict production standards. Every bite you take of a DOP product is the result of strict adherence to traditional manufacturing methods. This region cements familial pride in a recipe with the DOP label, remember, the most in the world, not just Italy, not just Europe — the world. The area is a gastronomic treasure trove.

If you are ready for an adventure that combines culture and amazing treats for your tastebuds, GetAway Travel advisors are ready to help.

Take the food tours of the Big 3

 Parmigiana Reggiano is a protected name that can only be put on cheese produced in the Emilia-Reggiano region. Typically, a food tour involving one of the cheese production facilities starts early in the morning, but it’s worth it. Never under estimate the awesome sight (and smell) of 20,000 plus wheels of cheese resting in rows and rows so they age properly.

Actually, the cheese starts with the cow’s diet. They don’t eat any fermented feed or silage and they are only allowed to graze in the provinces where the cheese is produced. So, no grazing or keeping the cattle anywhere but Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and a small part of Bologna.

Master cheesemakers collect milk from the late evening and early morning, it goes into copper vats and coagulates after a whey starter and rennet is added. When curds form, a tool is used to turn them into granules and then the entire mixture is cooked until a mass forms and sinks to the bottom of the vat. The mass is divided, wrapped in linen and placed into a mold which is how it gets its “wheel” shape.

The wheels get a series of salt baths in the upcoming weeks, they are date stamped and put on the shelves. It takes more than 145 gallons of milk to make a wheel and each wheels weighs between 66 and 88 pounds. The tour includes lots of tasting, from the soft curds, to the cheese before it is molded, to “young” cheese which is soft and velvety to the older, aged cheese which is full-bodied and granular.

The pork used in prosciutto is tabbed for the famous, buttery ham before the pig is butchered. What the pigs eat influences the nuanced taste of the prosciutto, it would be whey from the cheesemaking process or chestnuts.

The pork hind legs are rubbed with sea salt and the meat is aged in a temperature-controlled environment for at least a year. High windows in the curing rooms in Parma ventilate the area with breezes  from nearby water bodies and the Apennine Mountains. This creates a subtle taste difference in the meat. The salt, combined with the long drying process, means the meat “cures” rather than spoils. The meat is moved to different rooms in different levels to further control the aging process. You’ll get to taste the buttery, savory meat on a charcuterie array at the end of the tour.

Saying balsamic vinegar is just a vinegar is like saying Michael Jordan is just like any basketball player. Balsamic from the Modena area, nicknamed “liquid gold,” starts with the grapes. The aging process takes 12 to 25 years. Vinegar makers keep a supply of aging barrels on hand and they have their favorite barrels. Barrels are passed down from generation to generation and even included in wills.

Part of the aging process includes an elaborate schedule of “feeding” the vinegar that is aging by adding vinegar that has aged in a different batch. A tour includes tasting and you really need to taste the difference in the product due to aging. Balsamic that is 12 or so years old is bright and acidic. It pairs well with grilled vegetables and fresh delicate fish. Vinegar that is 25 years old is smoother, rounder and more complex. It is viscous enough to coat a spoon. Try it o Parmigiano Reggiano, strawberries or vanilla ice cream!

Don’t pass on any of the area’s cuisine

 The comforting flavors of the region define it as the culinary heartland of the country. Pasta here rich and made with eggs, the traditional balsamic vinegar is a fabulous addition and the savory pork is amazing. If you happen to have the best luck to be in the area during white truffle season, take advantage of the special truffle menus many of the restaurants offer.

Bologna lays claim to some really amazing dishes and products. If prosciutto is the best of the cured meats (referred to in general terms as salumi) Mortadella Bologna is its favorite first cousin. It is sausage consisting of lean pork cuts cooked with fat, flavored with salt, pepper and spices. You may find with the addition of pistachios.

Tagliatelle al Ragù starts with the traditional Bolognese sauce which is a rich, hearty ragù made with ground beef and pork browned with onions and mire poix. It is not served on spaghetti but on fresh tagliatelle (ribbon-like pasta). Lasagna alla Bolognese is the same sauce, layered with spinach infused pasta sheet and a velvety béchamel sauce.

Tortellini in Brodo is delicate formed pockets of dough (they are supposed to look like little belly buttons) stuffed with pork loin, cheese and prosciutto. They are served floating in capon broth.

Cappelletti is pasta formed to resemble small, peaked hats. They are stuffed with beef, chicken, cheese, flavored with nutmeg and served floating in broth. Try pumpkin tortelli stuffed with cheese or vegetables.

Gnocco Fritto is dough made of flour, lard, salt and a leavening agent fried in lard. They are served warm with cheese and cured meats. The classic form done in Modena uses sparking water to get the dough to rise. In Bologna they are called crescentina and they are made with warm milk, olive oil and brewer’s yeast. They are pan-fried in boiling lard. Served as a street food, they are split and stuffed with cold meats or pesto modenese (lard, garlic and rosemary).

Parma calls them torta fritta and you can get a sweet version sprinkled with sugar.

This shows up as a street food as does piadina, a thin, soft flatbread cooked on a griddle and folded around a soft cheese similar to goat cheese and greens. A thinner version with less fat is called piadina riminese and a thicker version is called piadina Romagnolo. Street vendors serve them all day long and a classic version includes ham and cheese. You can also get sweet version spread with Nutella.

Maiale al latte is a cherished dish of pork loin slow braised in milk with aromatics including garlic, sage and rosemary. It is served with curds that form when the milk separates during braising.

 

Ready to explore the amazing Emilia-Romagna region, eat your weight in fabulous food and then walk it off? Travel advisors at GetAway Travel are standing by… we can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel