Lardo di Colonnata IGP is one of the most misunderstood products in Italian cured-meat culture. Outside Italy it is often dismissed as “cured fat” — an accurate description that tells you almost nothing useful about what it actually is or how it tastes. Within Italy it is considered one of the finest expressions of the […]
Lardo di Colonnata IGP: Italy’s Most Misunderstood Cured Meat Read Post »
Massimo Bottura was born in Modena in September 1962 and is one of the most influential Italian chefs of his generation. His first experience of food came from hours spent beneath his grandmother’s kitchen table — a refuge from his older brothers, and the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Emilian cooking that would eventually
Who is Massimo Bottura? Read Post »
Comacchio sits in the middle of the Po Delta wetlands, surrounded on all sides by brackish lagoons. It is connected to the mainland by a series of bridges, its streets follow the same logic as canals, and its economy for most of the last two thousand years has depended on a single creature: the European
Comacchio: The Canal Town, the Po Delta, and the Eel Read Post »
There are extremely strict laws governing what can legally be called Parmigiano Reggiano. In theory, the answer to how many types exist is simple: one. All authentic Parmigiano Reggiano comes from the same protected zone — Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantova, and parts of Bologna — and follows the same tightly regulated production standards. In
Types of Parmigiano Reggiano: Ageing, Altitude and Breed Explained Read Post »
The Worst Place on Earth (If You Are a Pig) In the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the pig is so revered that an entire month of festivals is dedicated to celebrating pork and its many gastronomic expressions. This devotion is hardly surprising. Pork is the raw material behind some of Italy’s most prized food products,
Novemberpork Festival in Parma Read Post »
No trip to Emilia-Romagna – widely regarded as the gastronomic heart of Italy – would be complete without bringing home a few carefully chosen edible souvenirs. This is especially true if you’ve had the chance to attend a cookery class or visit local producers, where you learn how deeply food, place, and tradition are connected.
Edible Souvenirs from Emilia Romagna Read Post »