Reggio Emilia is one of the cities that make up the heart of the Emilia Romagna region in Italy. It’s home to a number of interesting sights, and certainly the gastronomy plays an important role in Emilia Romagna’s cuisine as well. I’ve been to the region about eight times, but I’ve never had the opportunity to explore Reggio Emilia until last month.
I’ll have a number of more in-depth posts coming in the next few months on some of the exciting culinary riches of the region, but for now, I want to share some of the best eats and drinks we discovered in Reggio Emilia.
Parmigiano Reggiano
You may think of Parma when it comes to Parmigiano Reggiano, but Reggio Emilia, and the surrounding countryside, is home to a number of certified producers. We visited the hillside area of Bibbiano, which is often called the cradle of the Parmigiano Reggiano. The main industry in the region is Parmigiano Reggiano, so it’s an ideal place to go if you want to visit one or more cheese producers on your holiday.
Erbazzone
Erbazzone is basically a savory pie made with spinach or other greens. It has its roots as a typical peasant food, but is commonly eaten all over the region today. Traditionally, Erbazzone includes the leaf of the white beet in the recipe, but you can easily find recipes without it. Other standard ingredients include egg, shallot, onion, garlic, and, of course, lots of Parmigiano Reggiano. Like many of the delicious eats you’ll find abroad, lard is an integral part of erbazzone’s signature flavor.
Lambrusco
The first time I ever tried a Lambrusco wine was during the first Blogville project that was held in Bologna several years ago. We drank Lambrusco pretty regularly at events and dinners during my weeks in Emilia Romagna. It wasn’t until later that I learned of the less-than-stellar reputation it has in the United States. Many of the Lambrusco wines you find in the US today are cheap and sugar-laden. However, all of the Lambrusco wines I’ve had in Italy were far more complex and not suited only for a sweet dessert.
One of the events we were taking part in during our time in Emilia Romagna was the Terre Lambrusco Wine Awards. We were invited to the prestigious awards ceremony and assisted with presenting the winning certificates to the various wineries. I was blown away by the sheer number of producers of Lambrusco wines represented at the event.
We had a unique opportunity to sample a number of the award-winners, and met with a producer at their vineyards and winery the following day. It was quite impressive to see the number of different varieties of Lambrusco they grow and produce even at a small, family-run winery. There are about 60 clones of the Lambrusco varietal, and these are the major representatives:
- Lambrusco di Sorbara
- Lambrusco Grasparossa
- Lambrusco Salamino
- Lambrusco Marani
- Lambrusco Maestri
- Lambrusco Montericco
- Ancellotta – Not part of the Lambrusco varietal, but often used in Lambrusco blends.
Craft Beer
We were surprised to find that Reggio Emilia is home to a number of craft beers. Brett wrote an entire post devoted to the craft beers he tried in Reggio Emilia. If you want to try some of the region’s locally produced options, check out Brett’s post on the craft beer scene in Reggio Emilia.
Ciccioli Frolli
This relatively unhealthy snack is definitely worth a nibble or two — especially if you grew up around fried pork rinds like I did. Ciccioli are basically pressed cakes of fatty pork. They are made by compressing, drying, and aging fatty, leftover pieces of pork. The pieces are wrapped in sack cloth and a special press is used, which compresses the pork, squeezing out excess liquid. They can be served wet, but we tried the dry, crunchy, version which is known as Ciccioli Frolli Emilia Romagna.
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia
Despite researching gastronomy in Emilia Romagna, I was somehow completely unaware of balsamic vinegar being produced in Reggio Emilia. I have visited a balsamic producer in Modena and bought numerous bottles of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, but not from Reggio Emilia. Until now!
The traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia is made with grape must that has gone through a series of processes and is then aged in specific barrels made from juniper, cherry wood, mulberry, oak, and chestnut. It became a DOP product in 2000 and certified bottles will be labeled with a gold, silver, or lobster red label identifying their age.
Other Edible Delights from Reggio Emilia
One of the foods I heard about from Reggio Emilia was the traditional rice cake. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to try it this time, but I’m going to look into making it at home soon! Have you been to Reggio Emilia? What are your recommended eats?Â
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This post is part of the #Blogville project in collaboration with the Emilia Romagna Tourism Board and iAmbassador, but as always, all opinions and calories gained are our own.Â
21 comments
I love Reggio Emilia! Such an awesome place with loads of gastronomical treats.
I definitely want to go back! I really underestimated the city!
I love Parmigiano Reggiano. I hate trying cheap wines from international locations. It never tastes as good as the stuff you can buy on location.
So much delicious food and drink! I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Italy but never this region so I definitely learned a a few new things about Italy food from this post. I love trying new beers around the world but never really thought of Italy as a place that produces nice ones. Next time I am over there I’ll have to hunt some down.
The Emilia Romagna region is by far my favorite area of Italy. The food culture is very important and a lot of the traditional foods we enjoy originated here. You definitely should go — especially somewhere like Bologna or Reggio Emilia. I’m blown away by how much I continue to learn with each trip back. And, as for beer — shockingly, the whole region is home to a number of craft beer producers. We’ll have some more posts upcoming on the beers, but we met with one of the craft producers who makes Belgian-style sour beers — delicious! Most of them are made for export as Italians haven’t fallen in love with the sour beers, but it was really interesting to meet with the brewer and sample her product line.
Parmigiano heaven – that is what I would name your cheese photo! I love cheese, every kind of cheese and I think I might go to this region just because of the cheese photo you posted here! Can you do some cheese tasting over there?
Really great post! And blog too! I love food so I am definitely bookmarking this! And btw- Italy has a rice cake? I thought it’s an Asian thing…
YES! Lots of tasting! That room was definitely heaven for me — we tasted a brand new cracked wheel as well as several other aged ones from their farm. You can do the whole tour and watch how they make the Parmigiano Reggiano, which I found fascinating. We’ll have some upcoming long-form posts about that and our visit to a Prosciutto factory in Parma. And, thanks for bookmarking! 🙂
Yeah, I was very surprised on the rice cake, which is why I want to try it — at least do some more research anyway.
Wow this sounds like a great event – it must have been great to have been a part of it. I’m a big wine fan but I think the craft beer is more up my street!
You should definitely check out Brett’s beer posts then. He and another travel blogger have been doing a beer diary/beer challenge for 2015. They are trying a new craft beer every day this year and writing about them! There is quite a bit of craft beer in Emilia Romagna, not just Reggio Emilia as well.
I can’t really eat/drink anything from the list above but the 2 photos sure look tempting, haha! I especially love photo of the cheese, beautiful shot!
Bummer, but completely understand. 🙂 And, thanks…I am in love with that shot (and that storage room of cheese.) If not for the fact they weigh over 40 kg each, I might’ve tried to “sneak” one out. HAHA. Funny how the guys handling the wheels seemed to effortlessly lift and move them. I’d develop some nice arm muscles working there!
I love learning about new places in Italy as I am obsessed with the country! I am a huge fan of Lambrusco but the real stuff not the sugar-water you mentioned in the U.S.. I could spend an entire week eating and drinking all the things you’ve listed here! Very informative and delicious!
The Lambrusco wines we tried were incredible….and a bit overwhelming to take all in. Although I studied wine, I am really quite a novice when it comes to Lambrusco wines — I learned a lot in those few days and sampled probably 30 different ones. If you love Italy, you have to visit Emilia Romagna. Cities like Bologna are a food traveler’s paradise. You could easily spend a week just eating your way through the region. We were very lucky to be invited as media to cover the AlMeni Food Circus in Rimini, hosted by Chef Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana in Modena. We tasted some incredible dishes from renowned chefs and met with a number of small producers who made a variety of culinary products. I’ve been back to the region so many times because I absolutely love the food, the people, and the sights. Watch for future posts as we have a TON of write up from this latest trip!
I have never been much of a foodie, but you might turn me into one! I had no idea people were so serious about their food. How cool! Look at those cheese wheels!!
Oh yes! There is a whole big community of us food-obsessed folks. We plan trips around food and pick destinations that are known for specific foods or because of a certain restaurant. The Emilia Romagna region is really important to the history of Italian cuisine as a whole, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. Prior to my first visit to Bologna, I was convinced I hated Italian food after eating what I grew up with in CA. This will sound cliche, but visiting there was life-changing. It really opened my eyes to real Italian cuisine and the passion that goes into artisan products like Parmigiano Reggiano and the Balsamico.
I’ve been to Emilia Romagna and yes the food and wine are incredible. Lambrusco can be so much better than what people in the US expect. Those pork things sound interesting. I used to eat fried pork rinds also. Any chance you’re from Texas. ? 🙂
No, I’m from California actually — my friends from Mexico got me hooked on them as a kid..with lime and chili of course. These were similar, but not all air like the pork rinds I’m used to.
After I left Emilia Romagna, I passed through Los Angeles for two days en route to my place here in Belize and couldn’t find decent Lambruscos in the store. It’s no wonder people have a poor image of what they are. I opened a really nice one I picked up a year or so ago from Emilia Romagna on an earlier trip and my parents are hooked. I think they are going to order them online to avoid the cheap ones.
Where did you go in Emilia Romagna? What is your favorite city/area? Bologna is probably my go to spot that I can’t get enough of.
This post is such a tease! You’re making me hungry! I had never been a fan of Italian food (in the U.S.), but when I went to Rome and Naples last year I realized it was so much more than pasta and pizza! Simple, fresh and delicious! Now, the food you mention makes my mouth water! Erbazzone sounds right up my alley! And good Italian craft beer.? … I need to get to Reggio Emilia!
LA continues to show very little interest in genuine Lambrusco (min. 11% alc.) even though it’s one of the best red wines to drink at lunch or dinner in this heat. The town continues to be into 14% alc. Pinot Noir fruit bombs. It probably takes another movie to change this. 🙂 Btw, Ancellotta is not part of the Lambrusco grape family. Enjoy your summer!
It’s hard to overcome a perception that has grown over time. Hopefully we can all help change that, as many of these wines are truly delightful!
And thanks on Ancellota, I have updated as this is indeed a secondary grape used in blends, and not a clone within the family.
Emilia Romagna is home of very fine cuisine, great job!