This morning after breakfast on the farm, and a trip to the on site cheese store to purchase some 2 year old Parmigiano-Reggiano, we packed the car and headed to meet up for our balsamico tour. Our direction were to meet the others by the side of the road, just past the Modena sud exit on the A1 and strange as it seems, that is what we did.
The balsamico estate, Villa San Donnino and its charming owner, Davide, was a short distance from there. After driving down the long driveway of the estate, we were treated to the delicious smell of aging balsamico as we climbed into the attic of the building to see the kegs and hear about the process. Then we tasted: the tradizonale ( 2 versions, both many years old, the younger balsamico developed for a Japanese market and the special balsamico jelly he also produced. The property and estate house are also beautiful and after tasting, Davide gave us a tour of his home, with its many collections of art and objet d’art. Oh, we also bought balsamico – cheese and vinegar are now safely tucked away,
Before heading to Bologna we smartly asked Davide, the balsamico maven, for a lunch recommendation nearby. Smartly, because after driving into Bologna, I got a real Mr. Toad’s wild ride of finding gas stations, a car drop off that was closed for afternoon siesta hours, and then trying to find our hotel, which is in a restricted driving area. Let’s just say that I did find it, then almost got stuck in a pedestrian area where I had to turn the car around in a tight square. Happy to be here in Bologna for a week with no car. Highways are fine, cities not so much.
After unpacking in our hotel studio apartment, we set off to meet friends for drinks and dinner. It was a very hot afternoon in Bologna. In the small world department, Palma’s friend Ida was a nurse at LA County Hospital back in 1978 when David started his internship; they knew a lot of the same people, good time catching up there. Then we walked around the corner to a restaurant called Merlo, and had another really goold dinner – happiness has to be a day with pasta for both lunch and dinner. We tried some pastas, had second courses of culatello and plenty of wine.
orrechiate con pomadoro e grana
culatello primavera
Tomorrow is our cooking class day; so a really early start – a market tour, then a ST lunch with 11 people, followed by a trip to the instructor’s home for cooking lessons and dinner. David, I and his knee are going to have to balance walking and taxis.
Comments (2)
Glad you survived the Bologna driving experience. We found it to be very difficult.
I hope you have bubble wrap for the balsamico!
Posted by Rhonda Lawrence | June 14, 2010 1:37 PM
Posted on June 14, 2010 13:37
The food sounds scrumptious. Wish I hadnt just eaten dinner!
Posted by Lisa | June 15, 2010 6:22 PM
Posted on June 15, 2010 18:22