BALSAMIC VINEGAR, Modena

Dating back to the 11th century, balsamic vinegar is one of the oldest and most popular of Modena’s gastronomic traditions, and one of the most representative of Italy’s “artisan” food products. The first mention of the well known vinegar dates back to 1046 AD in a text by the Benedictine monk Donizione, who records a small barrel of it being given as a gift to Emperor Enrico II of Franconia. The vinegar is made from the Trebbiano wine or Lambrusco grapes of the province, which are then cooked to obtain an extract, and aged in wooden barrels. The aging process can last for anywhere from twelve years to over a hundred!

CHERRIES, Vignola

Vignola is famous throughout Europe for its cherry trees, which not only yield a uniquely delicious fruit, but the stunningly beautiful cherry blossoms of spring. The sweet, juicy, black cherries of Vignola are available on the market throughout June.

MORTADELLA, Bologna

One of the most well known products to emerge from “Bologna La Grassa” or Bologna the Fat, as the city is known throughout Italy, is the “Mortadella” sausage. The sausage takes its name from the Latin “myrtatum” referring to the ancient Roman preparation of the sausage with myrhh. In the Middle Ages, seasonings included myrtle berries. Mortadella is made in different sizes, the choicest being the larger ones. Today the meat is ground very finely and mixed with coarsely ground backfat, plus the usual preserving agents-, salt, finely ground white pepper, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, mixed spices, shelled pistachios, and wine - before it is finally cooked.

OLIVE OIL, Brisighella

Nestled in the Apennine Mountains, the medieval town of Brisighella is surrounded by beautiful hills covered with olive trees. This is the origin of the famous "Brisighello" olive oil, a D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, Denomination of Controlled Origin) extra-virgin olive oil.

ONIONS, Medicina

The big onions of Medicina are well known and widely sought after by Italian chefs for their unique and subtle flavor.

PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, Parma

Aside from Parma’s famous Parmesan cheese, the prosciutto or ham of Parma, is without a doubt the city’s most famous gastronomic product. According to Italian law this ham can only be produced around Parma. Its extraordinary flavor was first noted by an author in 100 B.C. Four simple ingredients are needed to make Prosciutto di Parma: pigs, salt, air (specifically the cool, sweet air of the Parma countryside) and time (300 days minimum). The list of what isn't allowed is much longer: no spices, smoke, sugar, water, nitrites, or any of the additives associated with modern ham production. Though the word “prosciutto" simply means ham in Italian, it comes from the verb "prosciugare", "to dry" - referring to the air-dried curing process. The rosy-colored Prosciutto di Parma, with its earthy sweetness and slightly spicy aroma is widely considered to be the world's best ham. The texture of prosciutto di Parma is just as important as the taste; supple and silky.

SALAMI, COPPA AND HORSEMEAT, Piacenza

The gastronomic pride and joy in the area around Piacenza is its coppa, a soft sausage with a subtle flavor, and the Piacenza salami, all of which enjoy the label D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata or Denomination of Controlled Origin). The region is also well known for its “picula di cavallo”, minced horsemeat cooked over a low fire.

REGGIANO PARMESAN, Parma and Reggio Emilia

Considered the king of Italian cheeses, “Parmigiano Reggiano” or as we know it, “Parmesan cheese”, is the most famous product of Reggio Emilia and the surrounding area. Its origins are ancient – it seems it may have been known by the Etruscans. Some trace it to the hard cheeses the Romans transported to the port of Luni, while others associate it with the agricultural heyday of the 12th century. Although the cheese took its name from the diocese of Parma, Enza Valley (between Parma and Reggio) is the cheese’s precise birthplace. Boccaccio mentioned the cheese in the eighth day of his renowned Decameron, “In a town called Bengodi… there was a mountain made up completely of shaved Parmesan cheese.” Today the famous cheese is known and loved the world over, shaved on meats and soups, and sprinkled on pastas.

TORTELLINI, Bologna

Tortellini are tiny pasta, folded to resemble a navel. The Bolognese claim to have invented this pasta and in the city of Bologna there is even the “Learned Order of the Tortellini”, a group with a large and impressive membership dedicated to the preservation of the traditional tortellini. At their gatherings members wear red and gold hats in the shape of a tortellini and a ribbon round their necks connected to a tortellini made of gold. It is said that when the Bolognese eat their famous tortellini in brodo, “tortellini in broth” they remain completely silent until they are finished. Neighboring Modena, Bologna’s gastronomic rival, has its own myth of the creation of the tortellini. They say it is the creation of a local cook who dreamt he saw Venus rising from the waves, glimpsed her perfect navel and, upon waking, rushed into his kitchen to recreate the divine belly-button as a pasta.

These most highly esteemed of all mushrooms can be found in the Bologna Apennines. The Italian white and black truffles found here are delicious and flavor many of the regional dishes. They are harvested fresh, and are at their best in October and November. They are also very expensive (especially outside of Italy). White and black Italian truffles can fetch up to $1,500 a pound.

DOZZA, Regional Winery

The ancient town of Dozza is the home of the Regional wine merchant of Emilia Romagna. Situated in the Rocca Sforzesca, built in the last decades of the 15th century, the wine-merchant hosts a huge permanent exhibition of the finest wines produced in Emilia Romagna and offers guided tasting and direct sale of the wines. In the cavernous cellars created in 1970, the display offers over 600 wines to choose from representing 160 associated producers.

ALBANA WINE, Cesena

The Albana Sangiovese wine is a white with a delicate perfume, a staple on tables in Romagna, and the only D.O.C.G. (Denomination of Guaranteed and Controlled origin) in the area. Derived from the homonym vine, the Albana is typical of the Emilia Romagna region, and said to descend over a thousand years back to stock imported in the Roman days. Famous also for being extolled by the medieval author Pier de' Crescenzi, legend has it that in 435 AD this wine was offered to the daughter of emperor Teodorico. Albana di Romagna gained its DOCG label in 1987. You can find it secco (dry), amabile (a little sweet), dolce (sweet), passito (very sweet) and spumante (sparkling). The Albana is usually served cool with fish and shellfish.

BARBERA WINE, Monteveglio (Bologna)

From the vineyards in the west of the Monteveglio comes the Barbara red wine. The Barbera is a red, light and dry wine, produced from the Barbera grape, with a possible addition of Sangiovese (in Emilia). Barbera is a perfect wine for appetizers like salamis; boiled meats, grilled sausages, Milanese cotoletta (veal chop) or a plain slice of cheese. Barbera dei Colli Bolognesi (from Emilia) goes very well with matured cheese and red meat. It is also often made as a sparkling red.

LAMBRUSCO WINE

Lambrusco is one of the most popular wines in Italy and can boast a story few D.O.C. wines can tell. The wine, made from grapes growing on the hills around the Po River, comes from the labrusca vine which was first grown by the Ligurian Gauls, then the Etruscans, and then the Romans. Fossils of the vineyards which produce this vine have been found in areas around Reggio and Modena, dating back millions of years. Piero de’Crescenzi, doctor to Pope Sixtus VI, wrote in 1303 of the wine’s widespread popularity, and Lucrezia Borgia included it in a number of her written recipes. There are three varieties of Lambrusco produced in Modena. In the plain between Panaro and the Secchia rivers is the Lambrusco di Sabara with its delicious aroma of violets. In the lowlands of Modena is the Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, while from the hills of the Via Emilia comes the flavorful Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelveltro. Ranging in color from deep red to pink, the Modani is the most popular variety of Lambrusco from the Reggio Emilia area.