---

Italy Gourmet food and wine information - Index | Aosta Valley | Piedmont | Lombardy | Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Venetia (Veneto) | Liguria | Emilia Romagna | Tuscany | Umbria | Marche | Abruzzo | Lazio | Campania | Molise | Basilicata | Apulia | Calabria | Sicily | Sardinia

---

The capital of Emilia Romagna is Bologna. Other cities / regions include Ferrara, Forlì-Cesena, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia, Rimini. Agriculture is the most important economic activity. Winemaking is also prominent: Lambrusco, Sangiovese and Albana). The region has also a tradition of fine mechanical craftmanship; this is where Ferrari, Ducati, Lamborghini, Maserati automobiles and motorbikes are produced (factory tours on request with A La Carte Italy Tours). Emilia-Romagna is the Heartland of Northern Italian Food. Parmesan cheese, Balsamic Vinegar and other world renowned delicacies come from Emilia Romagna. On your gourmet tour to Emilia Romagna, your tour guide will introduce you to the following culinary specialties and recipes, and to the following wines and liqueurs:

Balsamic vinegar from Modena, it has a dark but radiant brown color, an acute aroma with just enough acidity mixing with a sweet-sour flavor

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese from Parma, a cooked and un-pressed, hard cheese made from cow's skimmed milk. The taste is delicate, fragrant and very savory with a lactic and vegetal aroma. Its flavor is very sharp and strong and you see is primarily used as grating cheese

Tortellini Bolognese in Brodo are tortellini pasta filled with mortadella, prosciutto and veal, in a meat broth

Albana di Romagna (DOCG); white

Sangiovese di Romagna (DOC); red

Trebbiano di Romagna (DOC); white

Lambrusco di Sorbara (DOC); red and rosé

Castell'Arquato Nocino walnut liquor

Parmesan is great as a filling for the Romagna Piadina, which tradition dictates must be completed with Parma ham. Egg pastas are: tortellini, ravioli, anolini (like tortellini filled with meat, vegetables or cheese and served in broth or as they come) and Ferrara capellacci (large pumpkin-filled tortellini), or cannelloni covered with bechamel, lasagne alla Bolognese (with Bolognaise sauce) andtagliatelle with meat sauce. Then why not try a slice of Zampone (pig's trotter stuffed with seasoned mincemeat) or Cotechino diModena (a kind of spiced sausage) or Altedo (Bologna) green asparagus or Borgotaro (Parma) mushrooms? If you wish a private Italy tour customised to include Emilia Romagna gourmet foods and wines, please enquire; at A La Carte Italy Tours we will be delighted to design a special itinerary for your privately guided tour.