A 730am meet time is a bit savage, no time for macchiato so i scarfed down a Kirkland protein bar as we waited for the tour bus. Even the taxi driver that picked me up at my hotel knew I was going to a Food Valley tour. These tours know their clients and they don’t waste too much time explaining things, they know we want to eat! But first some facts –
1200 liters of milk required per Parmesan wheel. The wheels must be made from fresh milk so the cows dictate the schedule and there are no days off. Production is from 6a to noon every day and that’s it. Parmesan must be at least 1 year aged and the Parmesan officials inspect and mark every wheel. Little QR codes too.
The Parmesan tasting including salami and an incredible tender and milky ricotta cheese; vinegar tasting (the 30 year tastes like honey); and Lambrusco (sparkling red wine) tasting. I am crazy about Lambrusco, the sparkling red wine. Also crazy for Italy champagne method wines especially Franciacorte. Italy tends to drink its regional wines so while Franciacorte is on the menu in Bologna they tend to not stock this Tuscany wine.
Fattoria Moretto’s Lambrusco has a specific name as long as your arm: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC, subzone Montebarello, from the hills, completely different from the plains.
But now I’m drunk and full and I just paid 250e to ship 6 bottles of Lambrusco to the US (wine + shipping), and now we’re headed to a 3 course Italian lunch. Oof!! I guess I failed to heed the tour guides instruction, “enjoy but don’t exaggerate.”
This so called neighborhood restaurant’s food was refined and well executed. The tortellini with ricotta and sage and butter – sounds boring maybe – was a flavor bomb. The “French fries” with rosemary, I’ve never had anything fried so correctly, and the rosemary overtones! Fried baby artichoke so tender. Massimo Bottura has definitely raised the bar in this region, as do the Ferrari and Lamborghini museum crowd. I begged our tour guide to tell our waitress I would have finished it all – if I could. But I was told to save room for the tiramasu. And if you want the best tiramasu in Italy, drive to the heart of Modena to our Ristorante Zoello in Settecani https://maps.app.goo.gl/BeyX3XNSZ3MDn11A9
Only in Italy do you have lasagna for an appetizer… Modena is kinda like the countryside version of Beverly Hills except their focus is the highest expression of food and convivality rather than shopping and status symbols. More to say on this in a few days.
And now a 45 min nap on the way back to town.
I was so curious to translate this very passionate sign. Men, you’re on notice:
The only Bologna cathedral open after 5pm on a Saturday was Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano – Complesso delle Sette Chiese. So I hurried over to seek a sketching opportunity. The charming chiostro courtyard presented itself, with a little well and a tower straight out of central casting. After sundown, an outdoor service started right there including a beautiful trumpet solo of Taps.
Sometimes dinner is a just an elaborate excuse to sit down. I did no research (gasp) just plopped down at a streetside Cafe with empty tables (gasp!) near the tourist destination (gasp!) and you know what? The Lambrusco was the correct temperature, the ragu tortellini just as good as yesterdays, and the waiter attitude as fresh as can be. Bon appetit!
