Tortellini, tortelloni, parmigiano, tagliatelle, ragù alla Bolognese, mortadella, crescentine, pizza, salumi, prosciutto, parmigiano, pecorino, gelato, barbera, limoncello . . .
February marked my 6th or 7th visit to Bologna, and I have to admit that what the name, Bologna, brings to mind first is – food! But I'm not alone. When I told Rafael we'll be spending our ski week – or as Italians call it, Settimana Bianca – the White Week – in Bologna, he sighed deeply, I can't wait . . . of course, I new he had missed his Bolognese big sister, Maiju, desperately, but in the same breath he added, such great food . . .
Every Italian region is justifiably proud of its own cuisine - considering it in fact to be the best in the whole world. But ask any Italian to name just one region in all of Italy, that's known above all for its culinary prowess, and he'll admit: it's Emilia-Romagna. The name of Bologna "the fat", has been known over the centuries.
Of course, Bologna is much more than food. It is also Bologna "the learned", for its famous University, the oldest in Europe. It's a lovely, old, non-touristy Italian city with ancient porticos, piazzas, cathedrals, markets, etc. But at every step, it seems, you encounter great, beautifully displayed food as well.
Maiju and Germano live right smack in the old center, next to the main piazza, Piazza Maggiore. From their terrace, you can see the walls of Basilica San Petronio, the largest of all the magnificent cathedrals in Bologna. So it's easy for me to get up early in the morning, sneak out quietly and walk around the corner to a little bar for my morning cappuccino. I have learned NOT to sit down at a table – much more expensive – but to stand at the counter to down my first, smooth perfect cup of the new day. And I now know enough to not even dream of ordering a cappuccino any time later in the day.
Piazza Maggiore
Because of our many visits and Maiju's expert guide job – after all, she's lived in the city for over seven years - we now have our must places, including Maiju and Germano's favorite restaurant, dubbed the Greek. Yes, great Greek cuisine in Bologna! Otherwise, we do stick to Italian –spiced by healthy California additions of fruit and vegetables and Finnish delicacies ruisleipä, karjalanpiirakka, smoked reindeer and Fazerin sininen, that filled our suitcase – at home.
It takes about five minutes to walk to ogle at the wonders of the specialty food shops that spread along the narrow streets. The street names originate from a time when they reflected what was sold at the market: via Mercanzie - merchant goods, via Orefici - goldsmiths, via Drapperie - cloth sellers, via Capraie – a goat road, via Pescherie Vecchie - street of the old fisheries. Small shops and stands still specialize in pastas, meets, seafood, etc. as the names reveal.
This time we were able to 'escape' the city twice. Bologna has a new city car share program, and Germano drove a funky, little Fiat Panda - used by the city workers during the week - to take us touring the countryside on the surrounding hills of Emilia-Romagna. On Sunday, we found what we had been looking for, a modern, Finnish-looking Catholic church, designed by Alvar Aalto, in a small town of Rialto. We talked to Aalto's assistant who happened to be loitering around the churchyard, and he happily recounted stories about the famed architect and his wife, who had been warmly embraced by the parishioners. On the way back, we got very hungry. Yes – that's possible even in Emilia-Romagna. We had missed the period of lunchtime – and on Sunday afternoon, our search for we a place to have a snack produced no results. We were too late for lunch, too early for dinner; everyone else seemed to be enjoying siesta. So back to Bologna we drove – and had a great dinner as expected at the Greek, that stays open all day.
Fiat Panda
Alvar Aalto design in Riola
We also made our traditional trip to a small village, San Pietro. San Pietro has a chiesa – church, a few houses, and a gourmet, all natural food restaurant specializing in local produce. That's where we had promised to take Rafael for crescentine. Crescentine are small fried bread, covered at the table with mountain charcuterie, cheeses, and preserved onions. Of course, we ate far too many, especially since we had already stopped at Germano's parents' house for an aperitivo of local wine, prosciutto and olives. That was preceded by lunch in a new cantina of a friend, Bruce Broccoli, whose cooking we've been enjoying since our first visit to Bologna in the year 2000. Bruce treated us to local meats, delicious pasta, vino rosso, and his own gelato. The day was clear and warm enough to enjoy the lunch outside. What a treat for us, visitors from snowy Jyväskylä. Luckily, our afternoon also included a hike in the hills, among pear and apple trees, goats, chickens, horses, and cows.
BRUCE BROCCOLI in his new 'IL MAGO DI OZZ' -
the Wizard of Oz in his & Germano's hometown, Ozzano
Every Bologna visit must include a day saved for a climb to the tower, one of Le Due Torri where visitors are allowed. The Two Towers, both of them leaning, are the symbol of the city. The taller one is called the Asinelli while the smaller but more leaning the Garisenda. Their names derive from the families traditionally credited for their construction between 1109 and 1119. Garisenda was cited several times by Dante in La Divina Commedia. Rafael has been fascinated by towers all his life and must climb every one he ever encounters. 498 steep steps up and down were a healthy, calorie free choice for one afternoon. Of course, we had to do another Rafael must after the climb – a visit to his favorite gelateria, Gelatauro. Eating gelato in Italy is a national pastime, and Gelatauro is often named as the best gelateria in all of Europe. Rafael's goal on each visit is to have gelato at least once a day.
Le Due Torri
Il Gelatauro
the owner & the gelatomaster
We managed a side trip to Venezia. February Venezia is a different experience – magical, damp, misty place with a pleasantly minimal number of tourists, compared to late spring, summer or fall. We walked and walked, and got miserably lost as advised: only when lost, can you find the real Venezia. Of course, since were equipped by a fluently Italian speaking guide, Maiju, we also found perfect little places to test typical Veneto cooking: lots of small seafood, plates, cicchetti, in small, old restaurants with chipped bar counters and pots hanging from the beams, hidden somewhere. Most likely, we'll never be able to find them again. We spent a night in a pleasant one-star hotel, right next to one of the canals, and rode a train back the next day, to make it for a Bolognese dinner at Maiju's colleague, Peggy's, family where her Italian professor husband, Dario with the help of their sweet daughter, Emilia whipped up delicious orecchiette con cime di rapa for our enjoyment. The dessert included local cheeses with exquisite balsamic vinegar from Modena.
Paula in the window of her ancient house
PIAZZA SAN MARCO - VENEZIA
One more food event before I have to stop and make lunch – I'm starving after all this food writing. I wonder how the professional food writers do it?
This time we also made it to the Thursday night market that stocks up local organic produce. We took a bus since the market's quite a ways from the center of Bologna. Old ladies come early, around 6 PM, Maiju told us, and then the younger crowd starts gathering. This was my first visit, but I can't wait to go back to my new favorite food experience in Bologna. At the market, vendors from around the area bring their goodies, in a Farmer's Market style. Maiju greeted her favorite 'goat cheese man' so warmly that Germano grumbled that Maiju wasn't only in love with the cheese, but would happily be producing and selling it too. We tasted meats that ended up in packages to take to Finland. My friend and colleague, Paula with her daughter, Elena met us at the market, and we picked up a bottle of organic red for 2,50. Paper cups were provided for free. We sat on benches, also provided, sampled pizza, cooked in a small wood-burning oven right next to us and toasted for the good life in Bologna! Later, at home, we celebrated Maiju's birthday a month early by cooking cozze, plump mussels, and toasting happy birthday with local Prosecco.
On Saturday, we had to leave Bologna La Grassa and return to the lean Jyväskylä. But not before I had made a trip to nearby Plenty market and filled a whole suitcase with parmigiano, pecorino, coffee, herb-infused salt, beans, chocolate, wine, limoncello, etc. I also bought seven huge, colorfully wrapped chocolate eggs for Easter and managed to bring them back in my carry on. Right before the bus to the airport, I remembered to add the prosciutto and other meets from the refrigerator. We are definitely not starving in Jyväskylä either. Rafael's snack now consists of toasted Reissumies rye bread covered with Italian delicacies. I, on the other hand, am vigorously riding my bike and cross-country skiing to get back into my jeans before one more bowl of pasta.
February marked my 6th or 7th visit to Bologna, and I have to admit that what the name, Bologna, brings to mind first is – food! But I'm not alone. When I told Rafael we'll be spending our ski week – or as Italians call it, Settimana Bianca – the White Week – in Bologna, he sighed deeply, I can't wait . . . of course, I new he had missed his Bolognese big sister, Maiju, desperately, but in the same breath he added, such great food . . .
Every Italian region is justifiably proud of its own cuisine - considering it in fact to be the best in the whole world. But ask any Italian to name just one region in all of Italy, that's known above all for its culinary prowess, and he'll admit: it's Emilia-Romagna. The name of Bologna "the fat", has been known over the centuries.
Of course, Bologna is much more than food. It is also Bologna "the learned", for its famous University, the oldest in Europe. It's a lovely, old, non-touristy Italian city with ancient porticos, piazzas, cathedrals, markets, etc. But at every step, it seems, you encounter great, beautifully displayed food as well.
Maiju and Germano live right smack in the old center, next to the main piazza, Piazza Maggiore. From their terrace, you can see the walls of Basilica San Petronio, the largest of all the magnificent cathedrals in Bologna. So it's easy for me to get up early in the morning, sneak out quietly and walk around the corner to a little bar for my morning cappuccino. I have learned NOT to sit down at a table – much more expensive – but to stand at the counter to down my first, smooth perfect cup of the new day. And I now know enough to not even dream of ordering a cappuccino any time later in the day.
Piazza Maggiore
Because of our many visits and Maiju's expert guide job – after all, she's lived in the city for over seven years - we now have our must places, including Maiju and Germano's favorite restaurant, dubbed the Greek. Yes, great Greek cuisine in Bologna! Otherwise, we do stick to Italian –spiced by healthy California additions of fruit and vegetables and Finnish delicacies ruisleipä, karjalanpiirakka, smoked reindeer and Fazerin sininen, that filled our suitcase – at home.
It takes about five minutes to walk to ogle at the wonders of the specialty food shops that spread along the narrow streets. The street names originate from a time when they reflected what was sold at the market: via Mercanzie - merchant goods, via Orefici - goldsmiths, via Drapperie - cloth sellers, via Capraie – a goat road, via Pescherie Vecchie - street of the old fisheries. Small shops and stands still specialize in pastas, meets, seafood, etc. as the names reveal.
This time we were able to 'escape' the city twice. Bologna has a new city car share program, and Germano drove a funky, little Fiat Panda - used by the city workers during the week - to take us touring the countryside on the surrounding hills of Emilia-Romagna. On Sunday, we found what we had been looking for, a modern, Finnish-looking Catholic church, designed by Alvar Aalto, in a small town of Rialto. We talked to Aalto's assistant who happened to be loitering around the churchyard, and he happily recounted stories about the famed architect and his wife, who had been warmly embraced by the parishioners. On the way back, we got very hungry. Yes – that's possible even in Emilia-Romagna. We had missed the period of lunchtime – and on Sunday afternoon, our search for we a place to have a snack produced no results. We were too late for lunch, too early for dinner; everyone else seemed to be enjoying siesta. So back to Bologna we drove – and had a great dinner as expected at the Greek, that stays open all day.
Fiat Panda
Alvar Aalto design in Riola
We also made our traditional trip to a small village, San Pietro. San Pietro has a chiesa – church, a few houses, and a gourmet, all natural food restaurant specializing in local produce. That's where we had promised to take Rafael for crescentine. Crescentine are small fried bread, covered at the table with mountain charcuterie, cheeses, and preserved onions. Of course, we ate far too many, especially since we had already stopped at Germano's parents' house for an aperitivo of local wine, prosciutto and olives. That was preceded by lunch in a new cantina of a friend, Bruce Broccoli, whose cooking we've been enjoying since our first visit to Bologna in the year 2000. Bruce treated us to local meats, delicious pasta, vino rosso, and his own gelato. The day was clear and warm enough to enjoy the lunch outside. What a treat for us, visitors from snowy Jyväskylä. Luckily, our afternoon also included a hike in the hills, among pear and apple trees, goats, chickens, horses, and cows.
BRUCE BROCCOLI in his new 'IL MAGO DI OZZ' -
the Wizard of Oz in his & Germano's hometown, Ozzano
Every Bologna visit must include a day saved for a climb to the tower, one of Le Due Torri where visitors are allowed. The Two Towers, both of them leaning, are the symbol of the city. The taller one is called the Asinelli while the smaller but more leaning the Garisenda. Their names derive from the families traditionally credited for their construction between 1109 and 1119. Garisenda was cited several times by Dante in La Divina Commedia. Rafael has been fascinated by towers all his life and must climb every one he ever encounters. 498 steep steps up and down were a healthy, calorie free choice for one afternoon. Of course, we had to do another Rafael must after the climb – a visit to his favorite gelateria, Gelatauro. Eating gelato in Italy is a national pastime, and Gelatauro is often named as the best gelateria in all of Europe. Rafael's goal on each visit is to have gelato at least once a day.
Le Due Torri
Il Gelatauro
the owner & the gelatomaster
We managed a side trip to Venezia. February Venezia is a different experience – magical, damp, misty place with a pleasantly minimal number of tourists, compared to late spring, summer or fall. We walked and walked, and got miserably lost as advised: only when lost, can you find the real Venezia. Of course, since were equipped by a fluently Italian speaking guide, Maiju, we also found perfect little places to test typical Veneto cooking: lots of small seafood, plates, cicchetti, in small, old restaurants with chipped bar counters and pots hanging from the beams, hidden somewhere. Most likely, we'll never be able to find them again. We spent a night in a pleasant one-star hotel, right next to one of the canals, and rode a train back the next day, to make it for a Bolognese dinner at Maiju's colleague, Peggy's, family where her Italian professor husband, Dario with the help of their sweet daughter, Emilia whipped up delicious orecchiette con cime di rapa for our enjoyment. The dessert included local cheeses with exquisite balsamic vinegar from Modena.
Paula in the window of her ancient house
PIAZZA SAN MARCO - VENEZIA
One more food event before I have to stop and make lunch – I'm starving after all this food writing. I wonder how the professional food writers do it?
This time we also made it to the Thursday night market that stocks up local organic produce. We took a bus since the market's quite a ways from the center of Bologna. Old ladies come early, around 6 PM, Maiju told us, and then the younger crowd starts gathering. This was my first visit, but I can't wait to go back to my new favorite food experience in Bologna. At the market, vendors from around the area bring their goodies, in a Farmer's Market style. Maiju greeted her favorite 'goat cheese man' so warmly that Germano grumbled that Maiju wasn't only in love with the cheese, but would happily be producing and selling it too. We tasted meats that ended up in packages to take to Finland. My friend and colleague, Paula with her daughter, Elena met us at the market, and we picked up a bottle of organic red for 2,50. Paper cups were provided for free. We sat on benches, also provided, sampled pizza, cooked in a small wood-burning oven right next to us and toasted for the good life in Bologna! Later, at home, we celebrated Maiju's birthday a month early by cooking cozze, plump mussels, and toasting happy birthday with local Prosecco.
On Saturday, we had to leave Bologna La Grassa and return to the lean Jyväskylä. But not before I had made a trip to nearby Plenty market and filled a whole suitcase with parmigiano, pecorino, coffee, herb-infused salt, beans, chocolate, wine, limoncello, etc. I also bought seven huge, colorfully wrapped chocolate eggs for Easter and managed to bring them back in my carry on. Right before the bus to the airport, I remembered to add the prosciutto and other meets from the refrigerator. We are definitely not starving in Jyväskylä either. Rafael's snack now consists of toasted Reissumies rye bread covered with Italian delicacies. I, on the other hand, am vigorously riding my bike and cross-country skiing to get back into my jeans before one more bowl of pasta.
Grazie Mille Maiju e Germano!!! Baci!!!
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