C u l i n a r y E d u c a t o r : EMILIA TO PIemoNTE: THE CULINARY HeARTLAND of NoRTHERN ITALY Nancy Harmon Jenkins itinerary: THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA ocTobeR P resented by Travel Programs 12-22, ® 2008 emilia – piemonte itinerary From Bologna to Parma to the truffle- and wine-scented hills of the Piemonte, we’ll experience the intricacies of delicate hand-rolled egg pastas like tagliatelle and tortellini; taste the finest artisanal parmigiano reggiano, possibly the world’s greatest cheese; sample exquisite salumi (prosciutto di Parma, culatello di Zibibbo, true mortadella bolognese) and real unadulterated aceto balsamico tradizionale. We’ll discover what makes the Po Valley region and the vineyard-covered hills of the Piemonte such gastronomic treasure-houses. In Bologna, we’ll learn from the hands of a traditional sfoglina as she rolls the pasta so thin you can read a newspaper through it; in Parma we’ll learn about la cucina parmense, and visit parmigiano and prosciutto producers. And in the hills of Piemonte, we’ll experience the fabled white truffles of Alba, the world-renowned wines, and the rich but little-known cheeses of this grassy corner of northeast Italy. We’ll spend time at Academia Barilla’s brilliant new Parma facility and taste wines with the masters of Barolo and Barbaresco. And we’ll end our tour in time for Slow Food’s famous Salone del Gusto, an optional add-on for those who wish to continue with a visit to this remarkable biennial exposition of artisanal foods from Italy, Europe, and the world. This is a “must” tour for any serious chef, restaurateur, food professional, or amateur connoisseur. Day 1: Sunday, October 12 (Bologna) Once you arrive in Bologna you will be transferred to the hotel. The Art Hotel Commercianti is a boutique hotel that is sited in a 13th century structure (but completely renovated very recently) in the heart of medieval Bologna. All of the major sights of this enchanting town are within walking distance of our hotel, which is just outside the central Piazza Maggiore. We’ll meet in the evening for an orientation and a get-to- know-you glass of wine, then walk or drive to one of Bologna’s most typical and highly regarded restaurants for dinner. Hotel: Art Hotel Commercianti, D Day 2: Monday, October 13 (Bologna) We will begin the day with a guided tour of Bologna la Grassa (Bologna the Fat), spending most of our time in the magnificent ancient market area – about six blocks of animated shops and street-side displays of vegetables, cheeses, salumi, pasta, fruits, meats, and fish – a magnificent parade of all things edible and drinkable. We’ll sample, shop, taste, sip, slurp, and visit a great kitchenwares purveyor, among other things. We’ll end up in one of Bologna’s best-known salumerie, where we’ll be entertained by the proprietor, a regular feature on Mario Batali’s television shows. Lunch will be on your own, and you’ll be well directed to places between the market and our hotel. In the afternoon we’ll proceed by van to a brilliant cooking school run by three generations of the Spisni family for a full-immersion hands-on introduction to the fine art of Bologna’s rich and delicate pasta traditions. There we’ll make our own dinner and eat the results of the afternoon’s labors. Hotel: Art Hotel Commercianti, B, D 1 Day 3: Tuesday, October 14 (Bologna) We will board our vans for a short drive into the Colli Bolognesi, the hills of Bologna which form the mountainous border between Emilia and Tuscany to the south. We’ll start our tour with an expert-guided exploration of wild mushrooms and white truffles from the region. Next we’ll visit a historic water- powered grist mill high on a rushing river where local wheat has been ground into flour since time immemorial – as is still done to this day. We’ll lunch nearby at a Michelin-starred restaurant where the pasta is made by another master sfoglina, as Bologna’s pasta-makers are called. After lunch, we’ll head back to Bologna and our hotel for a rest. The evening will include a casual dinner in a nearby restaurant. Hotel: Art Hotel Commercianti, B, L, D Day 4: Wednesday, October 15 (Bologna – Parma) After an early check-out of our Bologna hotel, we will proceed to Parma by way of Modena, another historic town on the ancient Via Emilia, the straight road that runs from the Alps to the Adriatic and passes through the center of this grand old town. We’ll visit the town center with its stunning cathedral, then proceed on foot to lunch in a tiny, exquisite trattoria attached to a 300-year old salumeria. After lunch we’ll visit one of the foremost producers of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena – note the word “tradizionale”: only the producers of the real stuff are allowed, after a rigorous panel tasting by experts, to put that mark on their distinctive bottles. We’ll find out how real balsamic is made, what the batteria does, and why balsamic is so rare and expensive. And we’ll taste the real thing. Continuing on to Parma, we will check into Hotel Stendahl. An elegant hotel in the very heart of this most elegant city, it’s close to shopping, galleries, and the central Piazza del Pilota. Dinner will be on your own. Hotel: Stendahl, B, L Day 5: Thursday, October 16 (Parma) We’ll start the morning off with a guided tour of historic Parma. In addition to being one of Italy’s greatest food towns, it is also the home of the European Food Authority, the chief governmental policy group dealing with food in the European Union. We’ll follow up with a visit to the great teaching kitchens of Academia Barilla, where we’ll be introduced to a number of typical dishes of la cucina parmense, have a hands-on cooking class, and prepare our own meal which we’ll share with the chefs of the teaching kitchen. In the evening we’ll sample one of the greatest dishes of the region of Emilia – bollito misto, an unbelievable exaltation of boiled dinner, with all its condiments from salsa verde to mostarda di frutto. Hotel: Stendahl, B, L, D Day 6: Friday, October 17 (Parma) In the early morning we’ll visit an artisanal producer of parmigiano reggiano, which is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest cheeses. We’ll follow the whole process from the cow barns to the great cathedrals where these magnificent cheeses are stored to age, then we’ll do a tasting of cheeses at different stages. After parmigiano, we will venture up to the shores of the great, broad Po River to the little town of Polesine Parmense. There we’ll investigate culatello di zibello, a very different ham from prosciutto di Parma, but one with an equally distinguished pedigree. We’ll hear the story of this national treasure and how it was saved from extinction, then have lunch in the restaurant with the head of the culatello consortium. Back in Parma, you’ll have the rest of the day to shop, explore, or rest. For opera fans, note that you will have two free evenings in Parma. This is Verdi country (the great composer was born and raised in the Po valley) and there will be a Verdi festival going on while we are there. We will be happy to make arrangements for anyone who is interested to attend whatever opera is being performed in Parma’s great Teatro on one (or both) evenings. These tickets are add-ons, and not included in the price of the trip. Dinner will be on your own. Hotel: Stendahl, B, L 2 Day 7: Saturday, October 18 (Parma) Another early start will take us up to Langhirano in the hills south of Parma, the traditional home of prosciutto di Parma. There we’ll visit with an artisanal producer who still air dries his hams in breezy attics until they have reached a pinnacle of hammy perfection. We’ll follow the process, from pig to pork, then sample the outcome before heading off for lunch at a splendid Slow Food restaurant on the Via del Sale, the salt road that brought this essential ingredient to Parma. The rest of the day you will be free to shop, continue to explore Parma, or just rest for the next day’s departure. Hotel: Stendahl, B, L Day 8: Sunday, October 19 (Parma – Alba – La Morra) We’ll get an early start in order to check out of our hotel and set forth on a drive up the Po valley and into the hills of the Langhe. Destination: Alba, the world famous home of white truffles. We’ll have lunch in a splendid restaurant where we may be joined by one of the great wine-makers of this region and one of the most important truffle purveyors, giving us a chance to quiz them on everything we want to know about barolo, barbaresco, and tartufi bianchi. After lunch we will proceed to the charming medieval village of La Morra to check into our hotel, Corte Gondina, a jewel of a hotel in the center of town. Dinner will be on your own. Hotel: Corte Gondina, B, L Day 9: Monday, October 20 (La Morra) Piemonte is home to many of Italy’s most exquisite and least known cheeses, such as raschera, gorgonzola, Castelmagno, and the fabled robiola di Roccaverano, as well as soft, rich paglia- style cheeses in their coating of sweet dried hay.