Food and Wine
DOP and DOC Quality
It's dark and gleaming, syrupy and thick, uniquely sweet over an unmistakeably sour undertone. It's sold in tiny, extremely expensive bottles, after aging for up to 50 years. Did you guess? It's DOP Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, the town's most exclusive speciality.
A visit to a vinegar-making farmhouse (acetaia), including an opportunity to sample the product, can be something of an experience. Purists may enjoy balsamic vinegar as such (one spoonful only!), but it is the perfect match for fi nely slivered Parmigiano Reggiano, risotto and other dishes, including fruit and ice-cream (ask for gelato all'aceto balsamico in the ice-cream shops of the town centre). Other musts are the local salami: prosciutto (cured ham), zampone (pig's trotters, boned and fi lled with minced meat) and cotechino (same as zampone, but stuffed inside an animal bladder).
There are a number of farms and cottages selling handmade salami certifi ed by special seals of quality, that are perfect with the typical local breads, such as tigelle (sort of small pitta breads) and gnocco fritto (fried bread dough). The king of cheeses, of course, is DOP Parmigiano Reggiano.
Local fruit and vegetables, too, are noteworthy: fi rst of all, the Modena pear variety and Vignola cherries, highly appreciated in Italy. Chestnuts and truffl es abound on the Modenese Apennines. And remember the appropriate wine: make sure it's certifi ed DOC, like Lambrusco Grasparossa from Castelvetro and Sorbara, or Salamino Santacroce.
INFO
Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena
Tel. +39 059 316 3519
www.balsamicotradizionale.com
Consorzio Produttori Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena
Tel. +39 059 395 633
www.balsamico.it
Consorzio Lambrusco di Modena, Consorzio Marchio Storico dei Lambruschi Modenesi e Consorzio Tutela Lambrusco di Modena
Tel. +39 059 235 005
www.lambrusco.net
www.tutelalambrusco.it
Consorzio del Prosciutto di Modena
Tel. +39 059 343 464
www.consorzioprosciuttomodena.it
Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano
Tel. +39 059 315 915
www.parmigiano-reggiano.it
Consorzio della Pera di Modena
Tel. +39 059 384 011
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