BALSAMIC VINEGAR!

Thursday, 29 May, Modena/Mantua

I have had to revise some of my dates, because I never know what day it is when I am on vacation! 

Each day begins in the breakfast room beneath our apartments. Quiet a variety of foods! 

Today we visited Modena (pronounced MAUD in ah), where Simone Caselli produces award-winning aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar). The authentic traditional vinegar from Modena and Reggio Emilia is aged a minimum of 12 years or more, the longer the more expensive of course. The vinegar moves from large wooden barrels, down to smaller barrels as it becomes more concentrated. The grapes used to make the vinegar are trebbiano white grapes.

The balsamic vinegar we are used to is known as a condiment, and it is not strictly controlled, and has not been aged. 

We were able to sample the condiment, the 12-year and the 25-year. The last two, are used drop by drop, not sloshed on a salad. Way too expensive for that!

Simone’s wife prepared lunch for us. We had a delicious pasta made with parma ham and cream. Among other courses! For dessert, we had a custard topped with fig marmalade and strawberries with a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar. Yum! We also had lambrusco which Simone had made.

Next we traveled to Mantua, where the Gonzaga family had a couple of palaces built in the 14th-17th centuries, rich with art from area churches, and frescoes and tapestries woven from drawings by Raphael.

Gonzaga Family Adoration of the Trinity, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1604

A lovely bed and breakfast in a 14th century home hosted us for an afternoon refreshment - cheese, wine, juice, cherries, bread, dessert, etc. The home was purchased several years ago by a family, who in remodeling, discovered frescoes which are now mounted on the wall.

Our long day ended with another delicious dinner at the restaurant by our lodgings at Selva Capuzza winery. Each evening we walked half a mile through the vineyard to the restaurant, which is very popular locally. You are greeted on the long open loggia with complimentary wine and fresh parmesan and olives. Our charming waitress was Lily, a Romanian who now lives on the property. Good thing, since she prepared our breakfast, cleaned our rooms, and served our dinner!

Lily on the right

Bobby's only beer in Italy! La Chiarra. A microbrew!
That is Stefania, our guide, beside him.