[Trying to write a new post in the middle of a thunderstorm is not easy. I lost all my words - starting again. Must back up every sentence.]
Walking and food are a couple of my favourite things. I love learning about local food, specialities of the region, and visiting the local fresh food market - every town has one, and I love eating! While researching things to do in Bologna I found Taste Bologna, who run Classic Bologna Food walking tours through the 'quadrilateral', the heart of Bologna. Of course I booked right away.
Our group was an intimate party of an American couple, me and our guide, Alicia.
We began our tour with a late breakfast of coffee and brioche. Then the walking began - first stop was Le Sfogline, where the fresh pasta is made. Tortellini and tortelloni are filled and folded by hand. Two women, working so fast, but making perfect little parcels - lots of experience there. I learnt, during my visit to Bologna, that tortellini is meat filled, and tortelloni has a ricotta cheese filling - and that both are Bolognese. As is tagliatelle - never spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, have to use tagliatelle.
Across Via Belvedere is the local fresh food market, Mercato Delle Erbes, built in a renovated barracks building. Specialty stores and vendors selling vegetables, meat, cheese, wine, and a dining area surrounded by small restaurants. Food heaven - a sensory overload. Would have loved to have tried pizza from the for no, but we are not stopping yet.
Walking and food are a couple of my favourite things. I love learning about local food, specialities of the region, and visiting the local fresh food market - every town has one, and I love eating! While researching things to do in Bologna I found Taste Bologna, who run Classic Bologna Food walking tours through the 'quadrilateral', the heart of Bologna. Of course I booked right away.
Our group was an intimate party of an American couple, me and our guide, Alicia.
We began our tour with a late breakfast of coffee and brioche. Then the walking began - first stop was Le Sfogline, where the fresh pasta is made. Tortellini and tortelloni are filled and folded by hand. Two women, working so fast, but making perfect little parcels - lots of experience there. I learnt, during my visit to Bologna, that tortellini is meat filled, and tortelloni has a ricotta cheese filling - and that both are Bolognese. As is tagliatelle - never spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, have to use tagliatelle.
Across Via Belvedere is the local fresh food market, Mercato Delle Erbes, built in a renovated barracks building. Specialty stores and vendors selling vegetables, meat, cheese, wine, and a dining area surrounded by small restaurants. Food heaven - a sensory overload. Would have loved to have tried pizza from the for no, but we are not stopping yet.
Alicia led us along the porticoes to the 'old' market surrounding Via Pescherie Vecchie. Here she took us into the pasticceria, the salumeria, explaining Bolognese food and buying produce for our lunch. It was a visual feast, with so much food on display. I have never seen as many prosciutto as were hanging around the walls of the salumeria.
We wandered past fish shops, vegetable stalls, macellaria (butchers) and around narrow roads until she stopped outside a small shopfront - Vino - said the sign above the door. Inside were tables and benches, where you can bring your own food, gather, and eat. Buy wine from the bar. A secret only a local would know. Alicia told us that you could book it for a party or a wedding too, and bring the food.
She unpacked our picnic - 3 types of bread, cheese, mortadella, salume rosa, and a glass of pignoletto (the local red). For dessert, torta di riso, her favourite. A Bolognese cake made with rice, almond, candied citrus peel and an almond liqueur. Very moist and delicious.
At the next table, a group of older men were gathering, pouring wine, opening a bag of peanuts, and talking energetically. The talk had turned to politics, according to Alicia.
We wandered past fish shops, vegetable stalls, macellaria (butchers) and around narrow roads until she stopped outside a small shopfront - Vino - said the sign above the door. Inside were tables and benches, where you can bring your own food, gather, and eat. Buy wine from the bar. A secret only a local would know. Alicia told us that you could book it for a party or a wedding too, and bring the food.
She unpacked our picnic - 3 types of bread, cheese, mortadella, salume rosa, and a glass of pignoletto (the local red). For dessert, torta di riso, her favourite. A Bolognese cake made with rice, almond, candied citrus peel and an almond liqueur. Very moist and delicious.
At the next table, a group of older men were gathering, pouring wine, opening a bag of peanuts, and talking energetically. The talk had turned to politics, according to Alicia.
Feeling very satisfied after our lunch, I could have had a nap. But we are not done yet. A wander down Via San Stefano, a stop at Chiesa di San Stefano and on to the gelataria. The Bolognese take gelato very seriously too. There's even a gelato museum in Bologna, which I didn't have time to visit - next trip.
So, a gelato tasting at Cremeria San Stefano. My second in as many days - though this time it was only four flavours.
Chocolate, hazelnut, crème (vanilla) and crème with zest of lemon. Beautiful gelato, equally as good as Il Gelatauro's. Bologna is spoilt for good gelato.
And, that's a glimpse of Bologna. Definitely must return and see more. Stayed - Hotel Roma, reasonably priced and lovely hotel in the perfect location for walking around the centre of Bologna.
So, a gelato tasting at Cremeria San Stefano. My second in as many days - though this time it was only four flavours.
Chocolate, hazelnut, crème (vanilla) and crème with zest of lemon. Beautiful gelato, equally as good as Il Gelatauro's. Bologna is spoilt for good gelato.
And, that's a glimpse of Bologna. Definitely must return and see more. Stayed - Hotel Roma, reasonably priced and lovely hotel in the perfect location for walking around the centre of Bologna.