A day in the life
WHERE
Medieval historic village of Spilamberto between Modena and Bologna
WHEN
October to End of May (MON to SAT) excluding Italian Public Holidays
MEETING POINT
Pick up in Bologna or Modena area at about 9,30am
DURATION
Tour starts at 10am. Duration: about 4 hours.
ITINERARY
A day in the life
of being Italian
Eat and Cook Italian with a Local: marketing, cooking and dining experience in historic Spilamberto Medieval village.
Why Spilamberto? Here’s an interesting article on “Spilla” (how locals call the village) by Lori Sorrentino Travel Writer.
Would you like to live one day like a local Italian, particularly like an Emilian? This is a deep wine and gastronomic experience which merges that sense of Italian family hospitality with an authentic foodie experience.
We will be happy to welcome you to our Emilia Storytellers House, Katia’s House, actually, to cook, drink, and talk like Italians do!
We are in the South of Modena, basically on the border between Bologna and Modena, in the tiny Medieval village of Spilamberto, quiet, very local style, but well-known for being homeland of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, especially because it hosts the official body promoting its culture and training Balsamic Vinegar Master Tasters Consorteria of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.
The tour will start with a Welcome Cappuccino & Amaretti typical cookies at a local café, while taking a short walk in the village and stop for tasting of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, “Affinato” aged at least 12 years, and “Extra-Vecchio” aged at least 25 years.
Then, we will shop at ancient food store to get fresh ingredients for our cooking class, which will change according to the season, but will always include cooking a Must in Modena’s cuisine: Gnocco Fritto, served with the finest charcuterie, Parmigiano & Balsamico, homemade sauces, and an egg pasta dish with our local sfoglina – pasta maker – Tortellini, Tortelloni, or Maccheroncini al Pettine, to mention the most common local pasta types.
Why is this different from a Fresh Pasta Cooking Class?
Our pasta maker is like family, IS family. She doesn’t make pasta for work but because it’s her passion since she was a little girl. Most women in Modena and Bologna grew up while helping mom or grandma putting the filling on top of Tortellini, cutting the little squares of Pasta, and eventually learning the whole process, from flour and egg to “Tortellini in brodo” ready to be eaten especially in winter or on Christmas day.
If pasta is the symbol of Italian cuisine, fresh homemade egg pasta is an Emilian invention, passed on by passionate pasta makers we call “sfogline”.
You can participate, cook with us, or just look, take pictures or videos, and enjoy your glass of wine. Food & Wine pairing will be also a protagonist in this foodie experience with our Wine Sommelier Barbara, who will tell us about the wines, the wine artisans, and the wine térroir you are in.
The idea is sharing our gastronomic cultures, and make you feel like family in a mutual exchange of culture and stories.
A freshly-made local dessert will be also served, with coffee from the Italian Caffettiera, and a typical after-meal spirit.
We will also give you our family recipes for the dishes on the menu Particularly, Gnocco Fritto is so easy to make – IF you got the right recipe – and match cured meats, cheese, vegs, sauces, as an appetizer that you can use in synergy with your local cuisine, at home!
Last but not least, my biggest and most sincere thanks to Lori and Angelo Sorrentino, Professional Travel Writer and Photographer for coming back to see us, for the time we spent together, this time in the Medieval village of Spilamberto, in the province of Modena, but only few miles from Bologna.
Lori and Angelo are the founders of Slow Travel Blog Travlinmad, which promotes the concept of “Slow Tourism & Eat Local“. They travel seeking for new interesting non-touristy destinations for foodies and not, particularly in Italy and the Emilia-Romagna. We couldn’t be happier. Once again, we are honoured to be protagonist of one of their passionate articles, this one talking about our New Tour Live Like a Local in Spilamberto with Emilia Storytellers in their Italy Foodies Blog dedicate to Italian gastronomy, culinary experiences, foodie travels that are authentic and truly representative of the Italians and their distintive variety in food and wine culture. Foodies should always stay tuned to their blogs!
THANK YOU Lori e Angelo for your precious collaboration and for these beautiful pictures you gifted usafter such a lovely day spent together to Live like a Local in Spilamberto, together.
TOUR CAN BE:
- Private or Semi-private: min 4 – max 6 guests
- Small groups (families, friends)
- Vegetarian option available.
BOOKING
Book this tour in Emilia!
