goodthingsmagazine.comLUXURY ESCAPES100W
e’re in the heart of Emilia-
Romagna, so it’s no surprise
that the first dish at our first
lunch is pasta. At the charming
Traoria Pane e Salame in Felino, we enjoy an
al fresco feast of salami, homemade tortellini
and oven-fresh cookies. Delicious local coffee
staves off any need for an aernoon nap. Our
Felino-born-and-raised guide, Maria Chiara,
is a connoisseur of local staple, Parmigiano
Re
giano cheese. She tells us how food
obsession is a national pastime. ‘We will be
eating one meal and already talking about
the next. It’s just the way we are.’ We visit
her uncle’s salami factory, then Gelateria
Yogurteria Lae e Miele – home to what is
quite possibly the best ice-cream in the world.
Villa Angela (rnbvillaangela.it) is our
home for the next three days. The inviting,
family-run B&B’s neutral colour palee and
authentic oak furniture gives it a warm, rustic
feel. But it’s a quick turnaround on the first
evening, as dinner awaits.
Ostaria Ad ‘na Volta is a classic restaurant
where we get our first glimpse inside an
Italian kitchen. Although Luigi and Silvana
Tiziana own the restaurant, it is prestigious
ALMA cooking school-trained Andrea Ivaldi
who steals the show with stunning pasta.
We dine on so’olio – vegetables preserved
in olive oil, and generous servings of
cappellei – lile ‘hats’ of filled pasta. No
two cooks fill theirs with the same mixture,
meaning every version you sample will be
unique to the household or restaurant.Magic in the mountains
Next day, we embark on a short drive to
Calestano through dramatically beautiful
scenery. At the Piroli household, we’re
welcomed with broad smiles. Ushered into
the kitchen, we see Elsa’s preparations have
expanded across two full rooms. She proudly
guides us through her cooking methods,
sharing secrets behind recipes that have been
passed down through multiple generations.
Next, we visit the Ghillanis. We’re greeted
by Silvana (opposite, far right), whose passion
for cooking is obvious from the array of food
she lays out for us. The unforgeable feastfeatures tortellini and buernut squash, and
every dish is bursting with flavour. A divine
walnut and caramel cake is the grand finale –
made all the more special chased down with
Nocello, a sweet, walnut-flavoured liqueur.Home-grown with love
Last but not least, we enter the home of Lucia
Gennari (opposite, top); marvelling first at
the views from the kitchen, then at dishes
inspired by ingredients grown in the garden,
including a leek and potato tart. Each of the
women we meet possesses a magic that lies
deep within, keeping the spirit of authentic
Italian food alive through the generations.
Further up into the mountains, we find
a stunning, remote log cabin restaurant
called Agriturismo La Macchia Tonda.
We watch larger-than-life chef-patron
Francesco Dall’Argine whip up gnocchi and a
gorgeous risoo and listen to stories from his
childhood summers. As he brings out a range
of his home-made liqueurs, it feels like we’re
visiting an old friend.The star of the region
If the housewives are the gastro-led region’s
heartbeat, then Parmigiano Re
giano is its
blood. Throughout our stay, the iconic cheese
has been a key element in every recipe,
and it’s intriguing to see it in production at
local dairy Caseificio Sociale di Ravarano
e Casaselvatica, run by fourth-generation
cheese maker Damiano Delfante.
Damiano’s small team carefully oversee
every process; from the delivery of the milk
through to the maturing process, which takes
a minimum of 12 months. Viewing row upon
row of wheels of freshly-made cheese is a
showstopper moment.
As the time to leave draws near, our old
friend Elsa (right) lays out a lovingly prepared
farewell feast: hearty portions of mushroom
pasta, meat pie, and a wicked apple dessert,
all washed down with an abundance of
homemade wine. As the photo albums are
pulled out, there’s no doubt that we are now
officially part of the family.
For more details about the cheese and to
shop online, visit parmigianoreggiano.comIn the warm, welcoming mountain kitchens of
Emilia-Romagna, Alice Griffiths discovers the
foundations of authentic Italian cuisineTHE
HOUSEWIVES^
OF CALESTANO
Images: Alice GriffithsItaly_MATTZPcathyZP.indd 100 04/04/2017 16:09