Food, Wine, Cheese....The Tastes of Northern Italy in 5 Parts...Mangia!-Part 3

Part 3: A journey into the process of making Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena: Acetaia Caselli

One of the most exciting and inspiring trips that we took during our Tastes of Northern Italy trip was to the Acetaia Caselli, in San Vito di Spilamberto, Modena.

Modena, is located in the agricultural region of Emilia-Romagna which produces culinary treasures such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.  It is a region that is also known for  Lambrusco wine, Barilla pasta, and is home to Italian car makers such as Ferrari and Lamborghini.   

We arrived at the Acetaia Caselli and were greeted by 3rd generation Balsamic producer, Simone Caselli.  He greeted us with a friendly smile and handshake and invited us up into the aging room to explain the production process and history.

I was immediately struck by the large number of barrels lined up in descending order, each with a little terracotta dish underneath, a small piece of cloth on top, and a wooden cap that is placed over the opening.

As Simone explained the process of producing the balsamic, I came to understand the art and tradition of family and patience that is such an important part of what makes this vinegar so special.

Like so many other producers that we visited on our trip, this was a family business, started by Simone's grandfather, passed down from generation to generation.  The Acetaia Caselli produces both 12 and 25 year old balsamic, in a process that is very reliant on patience and the passage of time.  The vinegar is made primarily from Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes that are grown in the Modena region.  The grapes are cooked down into a "must" or "mosto" and then added into the "Mother Cask" where it is then transferred to the largest of the stacked barrels in the "batterie" or aging line.

Once the vinegar has aged for a year or so, it is transferred into the next barrel.  The barrels are made up of a variety of types of wood, which influence the complexity and flavor.  This process is repeated as the vinegar evaporates over time, ages, and becomes more and more concentrated.  Finally, they are able to harvest about 10% of the product from the smallest barrel.  Once the vinegar is harvested, it must be presented to a Tasting Board, where it is tasted and evaluated in order to be classified as Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

The line, which began about 75 years ago, still contains traces of the original grapes, a process that was started by Simone's grandfather.  As I listened to him speak about this, I couldn't help but realize that this was a tradition of perpetual and continuous work, one that is passed down from generation to generation in a literal and physical way.

After the tour of the aging room, we went downstairs for a tasting and wonderful lunch prepared by Simone's wife and mother.

First, we tasted a "condiment alimentare" or Aged Condiment, which was a less expensive and time consuming product, but a really fabulous balsamic vinegar.  This vinegar is produced with red Lambrusco grapes rather than the white grapes used in Traditional Balsamic, and takes less time to age, therefore they refer to it as a "condiment" rather than a Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.  Simone described this as an example of a vinegar where the sweet and sour flavors are separated as you taste it, rather than integrated as they are in the older, 12 and 25 year old varieties.

We then tasted the progressive flavor complexity and aging in the 12 year and the 25 year old "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena".  Otherwise known as the real deal of balsamic vinegar....It was at this point that I realized that I would never be able to return to my original Balsamic world again.

In just a few thick drops, I experienced a history of complex, rich flavor.  They were like little drops of gold with a sweet and sour combination that is difficult to put into words.

After our tasting, our lunch incorporated each type of vinegar in a variety of small dishes.  We had salad dressed with the condiment, a variety of appetizers, cheeses, and meats, and a wonderful pasta drizzled with Balsamic.  Finally a dessert with strawberries, balsamic and a small cheese cake completed our meal.

For me, this was an incredibly inspiring, informative visit, where the importance of family, history, artistic process, and food all came together in order to create a complex and beautiful product, one that would be experienced, just as it was made, over time.  It was a reminder that the art of patience and slowing down is not such a bad thing...but something to be valued, honored, and respected.

We left the Acetaia Caselli as we were greeted, with smiles and waves goodbye from the family.

Please visit their website for more information about their process, and products.  I found this beautiful video on there and just had to share it here for you.  Enjoy!

Food, Wine, Cheese....The Tastes of Northern Italy in 5 Parts...Mangia!-Part 2

 Part Two:  A trip into the Pre-Alps, and Lago di Garda.

One of our food and wine excursions led us to the region of Trentino, northeast of Lake Garda.  This route took us up through the Pre-Alps and towards the Brenner Pass, the border between Italy and Austria.  This awe inspiring landscape of mountains and vineyards began to suggest a different historical and cultural region.  The Austrian influence could really be felt here, in both the architectural details of the buildings and in the terrain itself.   

We arrived at the family run De Tarczal Winery which sits along the river Adige, in Marano.  It was a beautifully clear, sunny day, and the inside courtyard was in full bloom with colorful hanging arrangements and trailing grape vines. 

Wonderful little historic details could be spotted everywhere, as the property had once been owned by an admiral in the Austro-Hungarian army.  The winery was named for the wine-growing village of Tarzcal in Hungary.  

Below the old stone floor, we toured the fragrant wine cellars, and arched aging room filled with large wooden barrels.

We then ventured up to the tasting room to sample a variety of different wines, and some really delicious Chardonnay and Marzemino wine jellies.

The selection was really interesting including both red and white wines.  We tasted Chardonnay, Moscato Giallo, Pinot Bianco, and Marzemino Superiore, a red wine of the Trentino region.  According to De Tarzcal's description "Even Mozart was enchanted with the character of Marzemino with its gentle fragrance and taste of forest berries and sang in "Don Giovanni" about this typical wine of the valley Isera."

After our tasting, we went next door to the family's restaurant for lunch. 

Our meal was delicious.  We started with a cured beef, drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil, and shaved parmigiano, followed by polenta with tiny mushrooms, and then savory bread and leek gnocchi in a light butter and cheese sauce.  We also had a chance to try the winery's specialty wine, Selezione Husar, a "pure Marzemino" and of course it was delicious.  I left that day with a selection of the wine jellies to take home.

After lunch we drove south down the east side of Lake Garda.  We passed through all of the summer vacation towns, as people gathered along the water's edge, mountains standing proudly in the background.

We stopped to walk around in the beautiful little vacation town of Malcesine, with it's little shops, restaurants along the water, and villas sitting high above on the hillside.

A few days later, we took a short 15 minute drive from the Borgo San Donino to the town of Sirmione, on the south side of Lake Garda.  The town is rich in history, known for its Scaliger Castle, Ancient Roman Villas, and Thermal Baths.  We happened to be there on a weekend, so the town was bustling with Italian vacationers, and it also happened to be the day of the Grilled Sardine festival.

We walked around the town, dipped our toes in the lake, and then took a boat ride around the peninsula.  The water was a bright blue-green and the sun was crystal clear and bright.  There couldn't have been a better way to spend such a beautiful summer day! 

On the way back into the town, we passed through the fortress and had to duck our heads as we passed under the old draw bridge.

What a wonderful introduction to the Lago di Garda region!  Stay tuned for our adventures in the Balsamic region of Modena, Cheese making (and tasting) and more wine in Soave!  Ciao for now!

Food, Wine, Cheese....The Tastes of Northern Italy in 5 Parts...Mangia!

Part One:  The Vineyards, a Festival of Tortellini, Cherries and Amarone Risotto.

We arrived at the Borgo San Donino- Selva Capuzza, just a short drive outside of Verona, surrounded by rows of grapevines, brightly colored oleander, fig trees, and tall tall cypress trees pointing up towards the blue sky.  The Mountains of Lake Garda stood proudly in the distance.  

During all of my trips to the different regions of Italy over the years, I had become very familiar with the wonderful food, wine, oil, fresh produce, gelato, pasta, meats, cheeses, soups, pastries, coffee.... yes I could of course keep going... 

But never had the focus of a trip been solely on the food and wine alone.  This was what this week in Northern Italy would be about and it was not only delicious, but very, very informative. 

 

We were greeted each morning with this lovely breakfast table, complete with espresso, blood orange juice, peach nectar, fresh strawberries and pastries. 

Early in our week, we went on a day long excursion to the small town of Borghetto for a lunch, a lesson in tortellini making, and to see the annual Festo del Nodo d'Amore (The Festival of the Knot of Love or the Tortellino).  This festival takes place each year in June, and is dedicated to the little knot shaped pasta.  4,000 people sit for a tortellini dinner at one long table that runs along the length of the old bridge in town.

 When we arrived in the outskirts of historic Borghetto, we walked down a small modern residential street, where people swept their sidewalks and greeted us with "Buon Giorno."  Plastic water bottles were lined up outside of homes, so that neighbors could water plants while the owners were away.

We were greeted at the end of the street by a friendly dog, and one of the family members who run the Pastificio al Re del Tortellino, a small tortellino shop.

We were shown into the kitchen, where the ingredients that are used to make the meat filling were on display, and then down to the enclosed area where they make each tortellino by hand.  I was surprised to find out that mortadella was included in the meat mixture, and that the ingredients were left to simmer for about 6 hours to develop the flavor.

We washed up and were invited to make a few tortellini of our own.

After making tortellini, we were invited across the courtyard to the family's house, where they served us an incredible lunch.  The first course was the meat tortellini tossed with a little butter and grana padano cheese...oh my....The filling was light and flavorful, almost resembling a cheese filling.  I had a second little helping of these, not knowing what would be next on the menu. 

The second course was basil and ricotta torelloni in a fresh tomato sauce.  The ingredients were incredibly simple, but the flavors were complex.  Each little knot was so fluffy that they melted in my mouth.

The third course, was pumpkin, chocolate, amaretti tortellini in a light butter and cheese sauce.  On my ever growing list of the best things that I have ever eaten, these were the perfect blend of sweet and savory.  The tortellini with pumpkin filling at the center, was half chocolate pasta dough and half a dough that had a subtle taste of amaretti cookies (little almond cookies that are great crushed on desserts and used on certain pasta dishes).

The chocolate pumpkin pasta was for sale in their storefront, and oh how I wished that I could take these home!

At their wonderful little shop, I bought a Mostarda di Pere, which is a sweet and spicy condiment that is great on cheese.  Pears or Apples are caramelized into a sticky jelly and combined with mustard powder for a really interesting and zingy flavor combination. 

After lunch we ventured north about an hour to Marano di Valpolicella, east of Lake Garda.  As we climbed higher and higher up the hills, the thousands of terraced vineyards became apparent.  Lines of grapes were drawn all along the hillsides, each supported by a stone wall beneath.  The vines rolled with the shape of the hills, tracing the landscape with the mark of the agricultural importance of the region.  High above the world below stood the small, family operated,  Giuseppe Lonardi Winery. 

We toured the winery, the aging tanks, and barrels.  The aging rooms that housed the oak casks were filled with the pungent perfume of aging and fermenting grapes.

Meeting the family, and hearing about the process, introduced a whole new life and story to the wine in the bottle.  Winemaking is a dedicated art form, a process of preparation, growth, transformation, aging, and production, all tied together by a strong tradition of family and history.

I began to see in this process, the true marriage of nature and culture, as each season and aspect of production is subject to annual weather and soil, conditions in each region.  There seemed to be a respect for the land and a command of it at the same time.

After the tour, we went to a nearby restaurant up on the hill above for a tasting and dinner.

After the day of tortellini, it was hard to believe that we would be eating again, and boy was I in for a surprise!

We tasted numerous red wines, including the winery's Valpolicella Classico, Privilegia, Amarone, and a sweet wine called Recioto.  I learned that the production of fresh cherries was prevalent in the region, and began to see a relationship between the tastes in the wines and this distinct flavor. 

After our tasting, we were invited into the kitchen where we watched the chef prepare polenta over a  wood fire of grape vines, which would be served with sauteed rosemary mushrooms.  The flavor of this polenta was truly unreal.  The distinct smokey flavor of the grape vine wood was apparent, and the pairing with the mushrooms and wine made my tastebuds sing.  

Next, we were presented with Amarone risotto, cooked in a savory broth and generous amount of Valpolicella wine.  It's aroma and creamieness, with just a sprinkle of cheese was like nothing I have ever tasted.  It truly elevated the wine, taking the ingredient, with all of it's complexity and flavor, and making it the shine.  

I couldn't help but think of the respect for the ingredient itself in this dish, considering all of the steps, process, and work that had gone into making the wine, and then incorporating in to this one amazing little plate of rice.  

The dish was followed by tender lamb cooked in wine, with a side of grilled smokey polenta, and a few potatoes.

Finally some of the sweet Recioto wine, a cherry torte, and coffee of course ended the meal.

I could have left Italy after this day a happy, happy woman, but there would be so much more to come...