{"id":1797,"date":"2014-07-21T03:10:35","date_gmt":"2014-07-21T03:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelcake.site\/?p=1797"},"modified":"2025-04-22T17:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T17:47:09","slug":"bologna-la-grassa-a-foodies-paradise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/bologna-la-grassa-a-foodies-paradise\/","title":{"rendered":"Bologna “la grassa”, a foodie’s paradise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bologna is often referred to as the culinary capital of Italy. Because of its abundance and variety of high-quality cuisine, the city earned the nickname la grassa<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u201dliterally, the fat one<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u201dback in the Middle Ages.<\/p>\n

It was that little fact that had me browsing flights and checking my calendar. Since I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m currently spending a few months in Europe, I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t possibly resist a food trip to Italy, could I?<\/p>\n

So I packed some loose-fitting clothes and off I went. Due to work obligations, I only had a quick 3-day escape\u00e2\u20ac\u201djust enough time for a strategic tasting mission. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get a chance to sample all that the Emilia-Romagna region has to offer, but I can tell you this:<\/p>\n

La grassa does not<\/em> disappoint.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of the staples I tried:<\/em><\/p>\n

The Italian clich\u00c3\u00a9: espressos and cappuccinos<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s probably one of the first images that comes to mind when you think of Italy: people-watching on a sun-drenched terrace, espresso in hand.<\/p>\n

I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t usually drink coffee, but I had more caffeine coursing through my veins than I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d care to admit. The espressos were tiny and strong, just as expected. The cappuccinos came crowned with the perfect steamed milk foam. Good thing it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s socially unacceptable to order coffee after 12 p.m., or I would\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been jittering around Bologna like a maniac.<\/p>\n

\"ESPRESSO\"<\/a>
pre-breakfast espresso, comes with a glass of water to consume BEFORE the espresso to clear the palate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"CAPUCCINO\"<\/a>
post breakfast cappuccino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"CAPUCCINO2\"<\/a>
playing with foam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cured meats<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not normally my thing. I hardly ever eat them.<\/p>\n

But these? These, I could eat all day, every day.<\/p>\n

I started to question whether what we call cured meats<\/em> back home even qualifies. Typical for the region are pancetta, mortadella, various types of salami, prosciutto, and zampone. Most eateries offer mixed platters so you can sample them all. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a cured meat lover, this is heaven on a plate.<\/p>\n

\"CURED\"<\/a>
delicate and refined in taste<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Parmesan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Home of the real deal. I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t able to visit a parmesan factory (one for next time), so I did the next best thing\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwandered through the market just before closing time. With the crowds gone, the vendors had time to chat.<\/p>\n

I asked questions about the cheese-making process and sampled different varieties, trying to figure out which one I liked best. The vendors were kind, passionate, and generous with both knowledge and cheese. A winning combo.<\/p>\n

The “real” balsamico vinegar from Modena<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sure, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had balsamic vinegar before\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut this<\/em> was something else entirely. It tastes similar to your supermarket variety but really, you’d swear it’s a different product.<\/p>\n

Traditional balsamic vinegar is made according to strict methods and aged like fine wine. I tried one that had been aged for 25 years. It was rich, complex, almost syrupy. A flavor explosion. When I heard it pairs well with chunks of parmesan? Naturally, I had to try it.
Absolutely exquisite.<\/p>\n

\"PARMESAN\"<\/a>
parmesan with balsamic vinegar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lambrusco<\/strong><\/p>\n

I tried lots of Italian wines, but a frizzante (sparkling) Lambrusco won me over.<\/p>\n

I was surprised to learn how widely it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s exported\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthis was the first I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d heard of it. There are white and ros\u00c3\u00a9 varieties, but the sparkling red was especially delightful and just a little unexpected. Light, fun, and very drinkable.<\/p>\n

\"LAMBRUSCO\"<\/a>
refreshing glass of Lambrusco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The original Bolognese sauce<\/strong><\/p>\n

Plot twist: spaghetti<\/em> Bolognese is a lie.<\/p>\n

The real sauce is called rag\u00c3\u00b9<\/em> and it was born in Bologna\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut according to locals, it should never, ever<\/em>, be served with spaghetti. Tagliatelle is the proper partner. Preferably fresh.<\/p>\n

And I have to agree\u00e2\u20ac\u201drag\u00c3\u00b9 with tagliatelle just hits differently. Richer. More satisfying. A revelation.<\/p>\n

\"BOLOGNAISE\"<\/a>
rag\u00c3\u00b9 alla bolognese<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fresh pasta<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tortellini, tagliatelle, ravioli… You see them in shop windows looking so fresh, so delicious. Naturally, I couldn’t resist. I bought a\u00c2\u00a0 little of everything to take home. Yes, I left Italy with a suitcase full of pasta. No regrets.<\/p>\n

Piadina<\/strong><\/p>\n

A flatbread typical of the Romagna region, used as an alternative to sandwiches or wraps. The toppings vary but are always based on fresh, local ingredients.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look like anything special\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let appearances fool you. The freshness and delicate balance of flavors elevate this humble snack into something quietly spectacular. Be sure to get one freshly made.<\/p>\n

\"PANINI\"<\/a>
piadina on the go<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"BROOD\"<\/a>
freshly made with local toppings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Parma ham<\/strong><\/p>\n

So many varieties. So many different aging processes. I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t choose just one\u00e2\u20ac\u201dso I asked the shopkeeper for a few slices of his personal favorite.<\/p>\n

There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a factory in Parma you can visit to learn all about prosciutto<\/em>, unfortunately I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have time to swing by. The tastings were already enough to impress.<\/p>\n

\"CHEESE\"<\/a>
shop selling all the local delicacies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gelatto<\/strong><\/p>\n

Classic. Creamy. Bursting with flavor.<\/p>\n

\"GELATO\"<\/a>
chocolate-hazelnut gelatto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aperitivo<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was, hands down, my favorite part of the trip.<\/p>\n

From around 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., most places in Bologna offer complimentary food with every drink order. Some have buffets, others serve a fixed dish of the day. The vibe is perfect: post-work crowds gathering to chat, relax, and nibble.<\/p>\n

The food is included in the price of the drink, and the atmosphere is a beautiful intersection of socializing and snacking. Which, to me, is basically the dream.<\/p>\n

\"APERO\"<\/a>
aperitivo at Marsalino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fresh produce<\/strong><\/p>\n

The markets were stunning. Fruits and vegetables so vibrant, so fragrant, they practically begged to be cooked.<\/p>\n

I felt creatively inspired\u00e2\u20ac\u201dnot just culinarily, but in general. If I lived here, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d ever set foot in a supermarket again. Not for produce, anyway.<\/p>\n

\"Italian<\/a>
at the market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"italian<\/a>
learning Italian vocabulary<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still so much<\/em> left to taste. And I like to think that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just another reason to go back.<\/p>\n

\"ANTIpasti,<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Have you eaten in Italy? What is your favourite Italian dish?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The post “Bologna la grassa, a foodie’s paradise”<\/a> first appeared on Travel Cake<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bologna is often referred to as the culinary capital of Italy. Because of its abundance and variety of high-quality cuisine, the city earned the nickname la grassa\u00e2\u20ac\u201dliterally, the fat one\u00e2\u20ac\u201dback in the Middle Ages. It was that little fact that had me browsing flights and checking my calendar. Since I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m currently spending a few months […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,107],"tags":[11,4,13,64],"country":[232],"class_list":["post-1797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-category","category-italy","tag-europe","tag-food","tag-markets","tag-short-getaway","post_format-post-format-image","country-italy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1797"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4575,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1797\/revisions\/4575"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1797"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=1797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}