Arrivaderci Bologna

Joe's idea of heaven

It's not often that you get a chance to surround yourself with your favorite food. Joe is delighting in the salty, pungent scent of 20,000 whole prosciuttos at the Nini factory.

The final stop on our full day tour, the prosciuttoficio was a non-descript concrete block building in a residential neighborhood outside of Modena. On multi levels we were allowed to see all the different stages required to make a DOP prosciutto. The whole fresh thighs of the Grande Bianco pigs come to the factory weekly from the slaughterhouse. They are first caked with sea salt and allowed to rest for a few days. 

The salt is blown off by a machine, and another resting period follows. There is another salting phase, then the whole hams are allowed to dry for 70 days to reduce their moisture content by about 30%. After this period the factory workers massage a mixture of lard, salt and rice flour into the areas of the hams that are not naturally covered by fat--the top of the thigh and the area where the pig's knee would be.

 They are hung to dry in a climate-controlled setting for a total of 14 months and then inspected by the consorzio which determines quality for production of artisanally-made foods in Italy. If the hams pass inspection, they are fire-branded with the official mark of the region and sold to shops and restaurants.

We learned that the hams can be stored uncut for six months and once sliced into, must be eaten within a month.

Pranzo

Our third stop was at a charming inn and restaurant, where we were served a traditional lunch of foods from the Emilia-Romagna region.

We tried tortellini in cream sauce, tagliatelle al ragu (the classic Bolognese sauce), then tigelle and gnoccofritto--two breads from the area. Into the breads we could put an array of salumi or squacquerone cheese with pickled onions and arugula or a pate' of hams and lard. Wine was another Lambrusco and a sangiovese from E-R. Dessert was coffee or lemon gelato and espresso. We all toddled out of there asking if they had any vacant rooms to catch a nap.

Aceto Balsamico di Modena

Romano Boni is a young guy with a wife and tiny children who has followed in his family business creating artisanal balsamic vinegar. He even uses the same wood casks that his great, great-grandfather used to make the vinegar beginning in the 1870s.

Each year a "set" of barrels are started and filled with boiled juice from Trebbiano grapes. They age for a minimum of 12 years. After the 12 years, the tiniest barrel is half drained and the resulting liquid is the balsamic vinegar. Then, the second smallest barrel is used to refill the tiny one, the third largest barrel used to refill the second, etc. The largest barrel in the set gets filled with the new year's juice. Most sets have seven barrels, made of many different woods--oak, chestnut, apple, and other local types--each imparting their own flavor to the grape juice over the years. Each barrel has an opening that is covered only by a linen cloth so evaporation and concentration of the juices can occur. Some of the cloths are charmingly embroidered.

It's a very old fashioned process done by a very young artisan.

At the end of the tour we tried the 12 year and 25 year old vinegars on parmigiano cheese, on the fresh ricotta (bought at the last stop) and on vanilla gelato, which was excellent!

Parmigiana Reggiano

So much happened today, I will not be able to fit it in one blog, so I am going to separate our day into types of food. We took an all-day food tour with a company called Amazing Italy, which began with a pick up in front of our apartment at 8 a.m. Our driver Michaele and guide Isabella were friendly and kind.

First up was a small Parmigiana Reggiano producer in the country outside the city of Modena. In order to go into the factory we had to dress up in silly costumes.

The owner and master cheesemaker runs the plant with his wife and three other employees to produce approximately 20 50-kilo wheels of cheese per day, plus all the remaining whey is turned into ricotta.

Here is the owner scooping out fresh ricotta from the reboiled whey. Our tour guides bought some that we would try later (wait for the next blog).

Basic steps to making PR:

Add milk and rennet and salt into giant copper cauldron and heat to correct temperature, then wait for the curds to form and gather it up in giant balls--2 balls to a pot. Allow them to hang for awhile then muscle each ball into a plastic mold with a weight on top to extract more water. 

The next day, stamp the official logos and date of manufacture, then put each wheel in a stainless steel mold to form the official shape. After a couple of days in the mold, put the wheels into a brine (Sicilian salt) where they rest floating around for 20 days. 

Then the wheels get sent to an aging room containing some 7,000 cheeses where they will be brushed off and spun around every two weeks by a robot for anywhere from 15 to 36 months, depending on the level of aging the cheesemaker wants to produce.

At the end of the tour, we gathered outside the plant for a tasting of cheeses aged 15 and 28 months. The younger one was softer and fuller, and the older one was nutty and had a granular texture. Both were excellent with the Lambrusco we drank with our "breakfast."

Just a tad creepy

One of the earliest buildings of the University di Bologna is called the Archiginnasio and it's just off the Piazza Maggiore in the center of town. There are still classrooms and lecture halls that are used to teach the scholars of Bologna today, but it's the Antico Teatro Anatomico that I found fascinating.

Used in the 1400s to teach future doctors about anatomy, the theatre is set up with a central table in Carrara marble upon which human bodies were dissected to demonstrate that the kneebone was in fact connected to the shinbone. The bleacher-style seating in hard wood surrounds the central slab.

At one end is the seat, more like a throne, of the ranking lecturer of anatomy. The ornately carved ceiling tops it off.

Outside the Anatomical Theater the walls and ceilings of the hallways are covered with the coats of arms of graduating students, each was allowed to leave their permanent mark on the university. Some are massive (sons of rich folks) and others are more modest. Copernicus and Petrarch are among the former students of the U of B.

The pilgrimage

Among the many things to do in Bologna, most guide books suggest a walk up to the Sanctuario di San Luca. The sanctuary is an imposing and enduring symbol of the city and can be seen from the A1 and many other points around the area.

To get there, we started from the Piazza Maggiore, near our apartment, then walked over to the Saragozza neighborhood, through the Porta Saragozza, under the Meloncello arch, then entered the arcaded passageway that winds its way steeply uphill for about 2 km.

 In all it was a challenging hike that took us about 1:45 one way for a distance of about 5km-- even beyond the city limits. We looked at each other a few times asking if we thought we could make it all the way. We did. 

The interior of the sanctuary is decorated in the Baroque style and is quite impressive. I was disappointed by a couple of things--one, that after a 5km uphill hike there is no place at the sanctuary to buy a bottle of water. And two, the bathroom had no toilet seat, no toilet paper or paper towels. I would have happily given a donation in the offerte box if any of these things had been different, but the church got nothing from me this time. 

Rather than make the whole round trip walk we took a shuttle bus part way back to town and stopped for lunch at a great restaurant called da Cesari. I had the homemade tortellini in brodo, which was spiced with lots of nutmeg, followed by the coniglio in agrodolce--stewed rabbit with onions, olives and capers in a sweet and sour sauce. Everything was delicious and it was the best meal we've had in Bologna.

It finally happened. Ugh!

People who travel talk about and worry about this subject often. They prepare themselves by buying money belts, secret pockets to wear around their necks, even zippered compartment bras that double as safe places to stash valuables. We have never fallen victim to the crime of pick-pocketing, so have never invested in any of these or similar products. Today we are rethinking our position on this.

It finally happened to Joe. He was pick pocketed by a woman beggar who thrust her empty coin cup at him pleading her poverty, while with the other hand she removed the wallet from his pocket. She was dark-skinned, foreign and wearing a long skirt and plastic flowers in her hair, just like countless other women walking the streets of world cities. You'd think you would be able to spot them before they spot you.

We didnt realize it at first. She was a seasoned pro. When she grabbed Joe's arm, he looked to me to help him get away from her. I yelled at her "Vai, vai," and she released her grip and slunk away, but the deed had already been done.

We were heading into a concert so it was about 1.5 hours later when he realized the wallet was gone.

After we got over the initial shock, then anger, we headed back to our apartment to cancel credit cards. Luckily I have two cards with different accounts than him so at least I have some access to money. If I get over being annoyed at him perhaps I will share it.

Never a dull moment in Bologna

Barely here for 24 hours, we've already realized that Bologna is a lot like New York--a city that never sleeps!

There are performers of some sort on virtually every corner, like this guy who plays with fire to a very dramatic soundtrack.

There is live jazz (note the real baby grand, upright bass and actual drum set) at the outdoor bars, local rock bands set up on busy corners, and solitary guitarists sitting on sidewalks with their upturned hats collecting a days wage in centessimi.

Today we set out early to do the suggested walking tour of the city and were immediately stopped by a half marathon that was beginning and ending in the Piazza Maggiore, just steps from our front door. We stopped for a capuccino and enjoyed watching thousands of colorful runners pass by our table.

Nose pressed against the window at Gamberini Pasticchieria

Chocolate, pistacchio, hazelnuts and figs--all my favorite foods in one torta!!

Full of Bologna

Well, we've been here a few hours and already we see that we have to step up our game a bit as this is a bustling, international, noisy city. We have a lovely fourth floor apartment (with elevator) which overlooks red rooftops and imposing stone towers. 

We started our journey with a madcap taxi ride from the airport, zigging and zagging our way through narrow city lanes, made more for bikes than cars. Our driver couldn't quite figure out how to get us to our street as much of the center is closed to pedestrians only on weekends, so we called the caretaker and then drove to an agreed to spot where he was standing in an alley waiting to walk us the rest of the way. This is a place where you dont want to own a car!

We found the tourist office, got a map then got our bearings by taking a loop around the historic district. We found the antiques market in Santo Stefano, the University District, and stopped for a glass of wine and a platter of salumi at Tamburini, a famous food market and wine bar. 

We marveled at the Due Torre--Amazing that the smaller one doesn't topple over!

I am already loving the lively vibe, the mimes and musicians on the corners, the funky graffiti on 1,000 year old buildings, the ancientness and modernness of it all. I think this will be fun!

Tomorrow we plan to learn the city better by following the three-hour walking tour map.

We were welcomed to Bologna with American flag sheets! Lol!

My kind of town . . .

Montepulciano remains one of our favorite places in the world and today, our last in Tuscany, I insisted that we had to spend the afternoon there.

The weather was just rotten all day, but by mid afternoon we saw patches if blue and decided to make the trip. I am happy to report that not much has changed except a few new boutiques on the Corso, which is a good thing. We made the pilgrimage up to the top of the hill and high-fived each other to celebrate that we can still do it, although a bit slower each year.

We stopped at La Dolce Vita, a lovely wine bar and casual restaurant, and treated ourselves to two different glasses (each) of Vino Nobile, which were all succulent, lightly spiced and fruity.

After a couple of days in Chianti I reaffirmed today that my wine preference still lies in the terroirs of Montepulciano and Montalcino and believe that the best expression of the sangiovese grape is here in southern Tuscany.

Tonight we have a reservation at La Rocca at 9 p.m. Tomorrow morning we head to our new apartment in Bologna. A presto!

Foodie musings on Lucignano

Here, Lo Schicchero is in the left foreground, a few doors down with the two lanterns is La Tavernetta, then follow the houses down to the last yellow one--that's our place.

We have enjoyed some delicious food here in Lucignano. Though it's a small village, there are at least six good restaurants plus some pizza places, bars, etc.

So far, we have dined at La Rocca, Il Goccino, Lo Schicchero, La Tavernetta and Nice People. We have not had a chance to try L'oste Matto, La Maggiolata or Albergo Toto yet and may not as this is our last full day here. Following is a list of awards I would give each place based on our experiences this week:

Best single dish eaten this week: La Rocca, maltagliati with ricotta, roasted tomatoes and pancetta.

Most interesting menu: Il Goccino, pumpkin flowers stuffed with ricotta, mint and peas on a bed of pea ice cream. Also panzanella di polpo salad with succulent chunks of octopus in a traditional bread salad with zucchini, tomatoes and carrots.

Best bottle of wine: La Rocca, Chianti Classico from Fonterutoli.

Best restaurant name: "Nice People"

Best outdoor setting: La Tavernetta, rear terrace. Second place to Il Goccino with three tables on Via Roma.

Best server: Roberta at La Rocca who sent me some adorably enthusiastic emails to confirm my reservation.

Weirdest happening: Il Goccino, strange naked guy hanging out his window across the street, texting on his phone. 

Chianti, day two

We had an appointment to taste wines at Monteraponi this morning, near Radda,so we headed out early in the rain and the gloom using the GPS to find our way on the winding and hilly roads. We arrived at the agreed upon time, peeked in locked doors, listened for sounds, finally spotted a mason laying a stone floor in a building on the property. I explained that we had an appointment, made weeks ago, and he seemed alarmed for us, dusted himself off and went into action on his telefonino trying to get someone's attention. Finally he got somebody named Roberta on the phone and told us she'd be there in "pochi minuti," but when a woman finally arrived, it was a vineyard worker named Eva, who apologized because she'd never given a tour before. She was called out of the bottling room to help us as Roberta had taken ill. Turned out that Eva, who is Danish, was quite well versed in all the functions of the winery and was quite personable too. I think she went out of her way to make sure we were entertained as we got off to a bad start. We tasted two of the wines--on the lower end of the quality for them--and were mostly unimpressed. Perhaps the higher end products would have been better, but we don't know. We bought one bottle of the vin santo, which was pleasant. 

The property was beautiful--a former medeival borgo transformed into the winery, some rental apartments and the owner's home. It would make a nice base to explore Chianti.

By the time we were through with our tour the sun started peeking out and came out fully when we arrived in Monteriggioni.  This was a bit of nostalgia for us as we rented a house just outside Monteriggioni in 2000. We were there for two weeks with the kids and learned that area very well. At one point we took a turn and I told Joe I thought it was the street where our rental was and just as it was coming out of my mouth--there was our house! It brought back a lot of memories about traveling with the kids in Italy when they were in high school.

So I was compelled to return to Monteriggioni because when we were there last time we tried--twice--to go to the restaurant Il Pozzo, right in the center of town. Both times we were turned away because they were "completa." Well today, as soon as we got into the village, I walked in and made a reservation for an hour later and they accepted it. Yay! The lunch was good, but not stellar, still I feel like I closed a loop that started nearly 15 years ago. The other bit of nostalgia for us is that we returned to the same wine shop where we bought our first bottle of wine in Italy. It was a vintage 1996 Chianti Classico called Poggio alla Croce. Today we told the guy our story and bought another one, vintage 2010. We paid about 4 euros for the first one and 12 euros today.

Our final stop today was in the cute, tiny village of Civitella in Val di Chiana, which is a very big name for a speck of a place. The village is as neat as a pin, has incredible views, even a castle, but it's known for its sad history. Apparently the German troops took over the town during WWII and at one point they massacred many of the villagers. The incident is commemmorated with plaques and sculptures throughout the village.

I was feeling sad after reading some of the memorial plaques, so I treated myself to a "piccola coppa."