Reggio Emilia and its territory are not only renowned for their historical monuments and picturesque squares, but also and above all for the extraordinary local cuisine; this, from peasant tradition, is largely composed of products from agriculture and livestock farming.
In addition to the three best-known products, protected by the PDO brand, such as Reggio Emilia Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Lambrusco wine, is a long list of foods that give us authentic flavours, high quality products and delicious dishes.
In the Reggio Emilia Lowland, for example, the rice (Arborio and Carnaroli) produced in the area between the towns of Rolo, Novellara and the areas near the Po river are to be mentioned; the Reggio Emilia Watermelon from Novellara with a high sugar content, and the Borettana Onion, a De.Co product from Boretto.
In the Apennine area, the chestnuts of the centuries-old woods around the town of Carpineti, the porcini mushrooms and the prized white truffles of the Viano district are particularly renowned.
Therefore, havng a food trip in the Reggio Emilia province is an unforgettable experience in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, through authentic flavours and ancient traditions.
The origins of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese date back to the Middle Ages, about the XII century. The first toll booths first appeared near the Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries of Parma and Reggio Emilia: thanks to the abundance of waterways and large pastures, obtained through the processing of milk in large boilers, the production of a hard cheese soon spread in this area of Emilia.
It is no coincidence that the tour begins with a visit to a dairy and with the tasting of Parmigiano Reggiano in the different maturation stages. The visit usually starts early in the morning and has to be booked by writing to the Consortium or by contacting the dairy.
After seeing the processing phases, a visit to the Historical Museum of Parmigiano Reggiano and Val d’Enza peasant civilization is recommended: it is a farmhouse which houses the objects, furnishings and furniture of the peasant tradition, accompanied by an ancient toll booth.
After the tour, you can move to the town centre and visit the magnificent medieval castle, one of the possessions of the Grand Countess Matilda.
The Reggio Emilia Balsamic Vinegar is obtained through a long aging process (minimum 12 years) of the cooked must of local grapes, inside a series of barrels made of several woods of different sizes.
The result of so much skillful patience is a syrupy, dark brown liquid with a penetrating taste and an inimitable sweet and sour taste. Very ancient, it was mentioned at the time of Matilda of Canossa.
To visit a vinegar factory, just consult the website of the Balsamic Vinegar Consortium and choose one.
Alternatively, it is possible to contact the municipal vinegar factories of Albinea and Novellara, usually open to the public on the first Sunday of each month (except August), at the same time as the Gonzaga Museum and the antiques market.
Another option is to visit the Acetaia Picci and the small Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia in the town of Cavriago.
Lambrusco is the typical Emilian wine, a unique expression of Italian oenology. It represents the most widespread family of vines in the countryside which extends eastwards from Parma to include the territories of Reggio Emilia, Modena and those bordering Mantua.
From these fragrant grapes an extremely pleasant sparkling wine is obtained, the most exported in the world. Its fans are divided between admirers of the sweet or dry type, the scent of violets or the hints of berries.
Emilian cuisine would not be such if it were not accompanied by its typical sparkling wine. In addition to Lambrusco, the white wines of the Scandiano and Canossa hillside are also well known and appreciated, such as Spergola which has recently obtained international recognition and prestige.
Right in the town of Scandiano, where the Compagnia della Spergola is based, a walk called Spergolonga is organized every year, to walk in search of the local cellars and taste the typical products.
Next to the Boiardo Fortress, the most important building in the town, it is possible to taste excellent wines in the decentralized branch of the Emilia Romagna Regional Winehouse.
On the border between Montecchio Emilia and Sant'Ilario d’Enza it is also possible to visit the Wine Museum of the Medici Winery, inside which tools and instruments from the beginning of the company's activity in the 19th century are on display, to which pieces from the Reggio Emilia plain, as well as tools used until the postwar period, have been added. The collection of the Medici family belongs to the category of Taste Museums of Emilia-Romagna.
The tour ends up in Reggio Emilia, where cuisine is especially creative in the first courses.
The town is a borderland for the king of soups, cappelletto in broth, and for tortelli (pumpkin-made, green or also reinterpreted), which can be enjoyed in both the centre and the traditional restaurants in the outskirts. There are excellent second courses of meat and the traditional fried dumpling, always accompanied by a nice platter of cured meats.
In the liveliest square of the town centre, Piazza Fontanesi, it is possible to find various delicatessens and restaurants, as well as fresh pasta shops, where you can buy the traditional cappelletti, handmade by the local housewives.
Among the local specialities, not to be missed is Erbazzone: it is a baked mixture of spinach or chard, spring onions, lard and Parmigiano Reggiano, sandwiched between two layers of thin, soft dough. The people of Reggio Emilia eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, combining it with a coffee or even a tasty drink.
