Italian Days Food Experience – Part 3

     Our third stop on the Italian Days Food Experience was at Villa San Donnino in Modena, where we learned the secrets of the famous Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP. This is not the kind of “balsamic” you buy in the grocery store. This is a single family producing small amounts, using the ancient technique of aging local wine in oak barrels, as their family has done for generations.

 

     This product is protected by The Consortium of Producers of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and can only be bottled after passing a series of tests by a board of expert tasters, in 100 cc bottles, the only legally approved bottle to be used by all producers. Each individual bottle is numbered and sealed. The Consortium also keeps a sample from each batch of bottles as a guaranty of the quality of the corresponding bottle lot. To be certified Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP, it has to be a minimum of twelve years old.
     We had the opportunity to taste 5-year balsamico and compared it with 15 and 45-year balsamico. It was so good we ate it on homemade gelato…YUM! We also brought home several bottles for our pantry.

     To cap off the day, Alessandro took us to a countryside trattoria, where we were served a “light lunch”, which consisted of more fabulous food and wine than I could eat in three days! When we were finished eating, we were delivered back to our hotel in a food coma, to take a long nap. It was a wonderful day!

Italian Days Food Experience - Part 2

     The second part of our foodie adventure with Italian Days Food Experiences took us to one of the best prosciutto producers in the region. This family owned business has been committed to the production of Prosciutto di Modena DOP for over three generations. This particular prosciutto is equal to the more famous Prosciutto di Parma, but without the same name recognition, since it’s produced within the city limits of Modena and not Parma. To carry the DOP designation it is subject to the same food regulations.

     We learned about the entire process of creating one of the most delicious pork products in the world.

Here is our guide, Alessandro, teaching us about the strict quality testing requirements.

 

This is just a small portion of the hanging Prosciutto…I wish it was legal to bring THIS home!

 

     At the end of our visit we enjoyed fresh slices of prosciutto.  They kept bringing it, and we kept eating it. It was so good!

     Tomorrow I’d like to share the next part of our “Foodie Tour” to a traditional “Acetaia” to experience the secrets of balsamic vinegar.