The Learned, The Red, The Fat | Welcome to Bologna!

Chi vive  vede molto,
chi viaggia vede di più.
Those who live see a lot, those who travel see more.

Buongiorno from Parma. On the day following our arrival in Bologna we took the train to Parma to join a culinary tour. Betsy welcomed us to her home in the countryside outside of Parma. While we were jet-lagged, she seemed very content with her local hay and alfalfa breakfast. There are four types of cows whose milk can be used for accredited parmesan cheese. Her milk is also used for a specific "red cow" variety of parmesan that I will be searching the shops for.

We watched as the master cheesemaker at Borgo del Gazzano and his assistant worked to produce two rounds of parmesan. It takes 500 litres of milk to produce one round.

That's a lot of work for Betsy and her girlfriends out in the stable!

Leaving Betsy, we were driven high into the foggy mountains to learn the process for making prosciutto.

We have been indulging in a LOT of Parma ham, which necessitates long walks along Bologna's colonnaded streets. Colonnades were mandated by the state in order to address a housing crisis: the colonnade allowed for additional floors of apartments while still allowing traffic and pedestrian flow at ground level. Each building owner chose their own decorative patterns so our walks are filled with interesting sights.

We inadvertently visited a private residence, thinking the open door looked welcoming. There was a beautiful courtyard and this staircase to the piano nobile (the first floor). How lovely the other half live!

We join locals and visitors for the evening passeggiata (evening stroll) to aid digestion.

Bologna's main piazza remains alive with lovely music of young buskers and children playing with coloured flashlights.

I will end with a photo of my daytime gelato . . . as differentiated from our after-dinner evening gelato. ;-)

Several tastings have all been exceptional.

Buonanotte!
Good night and sweet dreams!