Reggio Emilia’s food and wine: a journey of discovery its flavor

The tradition of good Reggio Emilia cuisine, simple and natural, is reflected in the many restaurants and trattorias where it is possible to enjoy excellent food handed down from one generation to the next. The basic products come from the land and animals, which is why it is referred to as "cucina povera." These are strong flavors born from the need to make up for the lack of expensive and refined ingredients.

To learn about the Reggio Emilia table and its typical products, a gastronomic tour is recommended, discovering the places where some of Emilia-Romagna's most important food and wine products are produced. The pleasure of the Reggio Emilia table is an all-round experience that ranges from appetizers to desserts, from characteristic filled pastas to the world of sliced meats, roasts and boiled meats.

Typical products:

•    Parmigiano Reggiano: This cheese, rightly defined on several occasions as the best in the world, carries with it the luster of centuries-old nobility. The origins of Parmigiano Reggiano date back to the Middle Ages and are generally placed around the 12th century. Indeed, very special environmental factors, delimited in a small production area (the soil, the air, the water, the feeding of cows) and the special artisanal production that has remained unchanged over the centuries, contribute to making this cheese so typical. It is possible to visit numerous dairies in the area to discover the production process of this product and taste its unmistakable flavor.

•    Lambrusco and Spergola: Lambrusco is the quintessential Emilian wine, a unique expression of Italian enology. These fragrant grapes produce an extremely pleasant sparkling wine, the most widely exported in the world. Aficionados are divided between admirers of the sweet or dry type, the scent of violets or hints of berries. Emilian cuisine would not be such if not accompanied by its sparkling wine par excellence. In addition to lambrusco, the white wines of the Scandiano and Canossa hills, such as Spergola, which has only recently gained international recognition and prestige, are well known and appreciated. To taste this typically Emilian product, there are numerous wineries that offer the possibility of guided tours.

•    Traditional Aceto Balsamico: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia is obtained through very long aging (minimum 12 years) of cooked must from local grapes, in a battery of small casks made of different scaled-up wood, with annual decanting and periodic topping up. The result of such patient wisdom is a syrupy, dark-brown liquid with a penetrating aroma and inimitable bittersweet taste. Three stamps: gold, silver and lobster characterize, respectively, the first, second and third quality of the vinegar, according to the ranking of the panel of tasters. Visits to vinegar factories in the area allow tasting different levels of aging of Balsamic Vinegar.

•    Erbazzone Reggiano: Erbazzone Reggiano is a typical dish of Emilian cuisine. It is a rustic savory pie made of a dough of flour, water and oil, which encloses a rich filling made of chard or spinach, onion, grated Parmesan cheese and eggs. Everything is baked in the oven until a golden and fragrant crust is obtained. This traditionally Emilian dish is prized for its combination of robust and genuine flavors, representing an icon of local gastronomy.

•    Spongata: Spongata is a traditional dessert of Emilian cuisine. It is a doughnut-shaped Christmas cake consisting of a layer of short or puff pastry filled with a dense and aromatically spiced mixture of walnuts, almonds, honey, candied fruit and orange peel. Spongata is often decorated with twists or geometric patterns on the top. This dessert is an integral part of the holiday season in the culinary tradition of Emilia-Romagna, celebrating the richness of local flavors and spices.