Inspiration - Emilia Romagna

Though Tuscany, just to the southwest, gets much more attention as a vacation destination, it is the region of Emilia Romagna that has fascinated me more and more over the years. Home to Bologna, the city that many call the food capital of Italy, it has the kind of food that makes you lean back and smile (and maybe sigh a bit as you might feel like taking a nap immediately after eating a big lunch). Bologna has two popular nicknames, La Dotta and La Grassa. La Dotta means the educated and refers to the fact that the city is where the oldest university in Europe is located. La Grassa means the fat and undoubtedly refers to the rich cuisine that is a far cry from the lighter olive oil infused dishes of the south that we typically think of as Mediterranean fare.

When I was younger and spent a few weeks using my Eurail pass I blew right by the region. I landed in Rome, took the train to Florence, arrived in Venice, and then criss-crossed around Austria, Germany, and Switzerland before spending a while in France. At the time I was much more interested in architecture and old world culture than food and the only food memory I can remember vividly is going to the train station in Paris every morning because it seemed the easiest way to get a fresh croissant. In a way I would like to think that I was saving an Italian food experience for now (or the somewhat near future, 5 - 10 years maybe??). A time that I can really savor the culture and taste, taste, taste!

As the sophomore class digs into the curriculum unit on Pasta, Grains, and Legumes I thought that this region could really serve as inspiration and we have decided to craft a menu and a soup that truly reflects the region and respects the traditions, yet allows for enough creativity to craft some delicious food that is uniquely ours. Buon Appetito!

Chef Beplat

Emilia Romagna is often known as the belly of Italy. Most of the rich foods that we traditionally see as Northern Italian food are from Emilia Romagna. Emilia Romagna is the home of Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto de Parma, it is also the home of balsamic vinegar. All of those foods take a decent amount of time to be ready for people to eat. With Parmigiano Reggiano before anyone can eat the cheese it sits for about two years, with Prosciutto de Parma it takes up to three years to be ready to eat, but Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, which is just a more traditional balsamic vinegar, is a little different, you could cook with it when its newer but it won’t taste as good as it does over time. Did you know you could let it sit in barrels for over 25 years! That seems almost crazy and you would think it would go bad but in this case it gets better. So all of this really shows not only how patient Emilia Romagna is but also how much time they will wait or have to wait just to perfect the flavorings of their food and their food in general.

Some people in Emilia Romagna make their own balsamic vinegar or wine on their own farm. Using it as a family company, which can sometimes be difficult around the winter time. When harvest time comes though the farm is filled with people helping out and even if they are not seen as blood related they all see each other as family. Even when it's harvest season with balsamic vinegar they have to time things correctly because it needs to sit for at least 25 years to be able to be sold. Over the years the balsamic vinegar is put into smaller barrels until they think it is done. Once a year they take out 2 to 3 liters from each batch to sell and keep their farm going. Even with cheese they have to constantly flip and check for air pockets as the months go on. They look at the color and the thickness of the vinegar to see if it is done or not. That's not all the farm is useful for, you can also just pick herbs and maybe even fruits and vegetables, you don't have to go to the store. Most food in Emilia is cooked from scratch giving people the opportunity to have fun with what they cook.

Check out these two amazingly informative videos for more information on the region.

David Rosengarten Video

What's Cooking British TV Series

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore year)

Chef's Table: Massimo Bottura

While investigating Emilia Romagna I learned about a chef named Massimo Bottura who is the owner of one of the world's greatest restaurants and three Michelin stars. He is interesting because he does so much more than just sell food, for Massimo it's about the artist, the music, the place, the ingredients, it's about the concept behind the food for him. All of his dishes are made with traditional ingredients but used in a different way. Massimo is always happy to be cooking and always ready to cook, he always finds a way to make the kitchen fun but also get things done, and I don't know about you but to me that's the best way to work in a kitchen. Massimo is also a creator, he is constantly thinking of new things to create even if he is nowhere near food. Massimo started on the bottom and made his way up, getting recognized by higher chefs and teaching other chefs more. He is inspiring because no matter how many times he was knocked backwards or off his feet he always stood back up and kept going. He wanted to show the world his perspective of food so they could understand. He was inspiring because even when he was only holding on by a string he took risks showing people he wasn't going to quit. I think that Massimo woke up the food world and brought them something they could hold onto and enjoy. I don't know about you but to me he seems like a great person and an amazing chef.

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore year)

Essential Products of the Region

These are found in the two dishes we are highlighting.

Parma Prosciutto:

Parma Prosciutto is a cured pork leg with pure sea salt in order to keep the meat as sweet and as supple as possible, also extremely unique. Parma Prosciutto is not as simple as just getting any meat either, the pigs they use are placed on strict guidelines so when they make the meat it comes out good. The pigs are only allowed to eat cereal grains and the whey from the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. To make Parma Prosciutto there are many steps, the meat has to be salted, it has to rest in a humidity controlled refrigerator, it has to be greased, It even has to be cured in a cellar with less air and light, Only then do you have the flavorful ham we call Parma Prosciutto. Parma Prosciutto can age for 400 days, starting from the first salting day. Some Parma Prosciutto can even be cured for up to 3 years. The best way to eat Parma Prosciutto is right after it is sliced paper thin. You could also pair it with mozzarella di bufala or some slices of melon as an appetizer. Another delicious way to eat prosciutto is between pieces of bread, a panino, a grinder or sandwich.

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore year)

Parmesan:

Almost everyone uses parmesan cheese in their homes, you can add it to basically any meal you want to and it's just a good thing to keep in your fridge, but did you know most of it is not real cheese? Parmesan cheese is so important because in America most cheese that you buy isn't real cheese. I know that sounds crazy but parmesan cheese is only supposed to have three ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. The ingredients cellulose powder, potassium sorbate, and culture are not supposed to be in parmesan cheese yet almost always are, taking away from the natural flavor. Making real cheese can be a difficult task as well, there are many things that have to happen to make sure the cheese is a quality product. Did you know it takes about 137 gallons of unpasteurized milk to make one wheel of cheese? Well it actually takes real cheese 12 to 24 months to be ready to eat, and there is a chance that it will be spoiled so they have to go through and make sure every single cheese is still good.

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore year)

Mortadella:

Mortadella is a cooked cured sausage that’s made from finely ground pork meat, it’s almost always flavored with myrtle berries, salt, and pepper. Mortadella is often cured for some time, but it’s also cooked for several hours in a low-temperature oven before it’s sold. The biggest difference between Italian mortadella and American bologna is that bologna has little to no fat in it. Fun fact, Although mortadella is produced in as many as seven regions of Italy, you will find the most authentic one in its place of origin, Bologna. Mortadella can be enjoyed simply as a cold cut in a sandwich, but it is also quite common to lay slices in a skillet and fry them before they are eaten. Unlike most American bologna, mortadella can be cooked, which actually sounds really good.

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore year)

Pancetta:

Everybody loves bacon, it could put a smile on anyone's face because of its amazing flavor. Bacon can be used as a breakfast side dish, or even mixed in with a dinner meal, Pancetta is almost just like bacon. Pancetta and bacon are cured meats that look and taste somewhat similar; but their appearance and texture are different depending on where the meat comes from. Pancetta is commonly sold in thin slices in Italy, but mostly sold cubed in the United States. Pancetta is used in main meals, and sometimes in appetizers. When pancetta is served it has to be cut thinner or it will be too rough to bite into but it still holds all the delicious flavors from the curing process.

Leah LaPointe Class of 2023 (Sophomore Year)

Balsamic Vinegar:

Balsamic vinegar is darker, sweeter, and thicker than other vinegars, this makes it fun and flavorful but sometimes risky to cook with. Making Balsamic vinegar is a long process that starts with growing the grapes to make it. Some people in Emilia Romagna have their own fields where they grow grapes, fruits, and vegetables. This might seem like it would make life easier, instead of going to the grocery store they can go to their backyard and get food for dinner. The grape’s growing process needs a lot more work than fruits or vegetables though. Over time the grapes are gone over, the good ones are picked for cooking, and the bad ones are either thrown away or left there depending on how much time they have. The grapes are then cooked and juiced down into a syrupy consistency which changes its flavor and color. This process could take hours so it is usually started really early in the morning. Then the syrup, which is basically already balsamic vinegar is placed in barrels for many years, depending on the person, they could let it sit from 12 to 25 years or possibly even more. That's amazing, could you imagine waiting that long just for something like vinegar. That means it has to taste good! Balsamic vinegar is a little bit more expensive than red wine vinegars because it takes so much more time and work to make it. It is so worth it though because when it is done, and in your food, it is the best tasting vinegar you will ever have.

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