We had a blast in Bologna! The food, vibe and culture of the city were completely different than Milan. Unlike Milan’s cosmopolitan feel, walking around Bologna, we could immediately sense the large student population. University of Bologna is the oldest existing university in all of Europe and its many colleges are spread throughout the walkable city. On Saturday we walked down Via Independenzia, the major street for shopping and sightseeing. As with every other place we’ve visited in Italy, it seemed as though every building and church had been there for centuries, with their worn facades and elaborate statues. There were street fairs, cafes and plenty of stores that lined the street, ending with the statue of Neptune in Piazza Maggiore, a large square bordered by several Palazzos and the Basilica of San Petronio. We didn’t really have an itinerary, so we basically walked around aimlessly, ducking into old churches, walking under the porticos (see pictures) and of course stopping every now and then to eat the world renowned food of Bologna!
The food was delicious! This is the kind of food that you take one bite of and you have to stop, smile and demand that everyone at the table try some immediately. This is the kind of food that you eat so slowly, narrarating every little taste and texture, as if you were some expert food critic. Of course the ragu alla Bolognese was the best we’ve had and the cheeses, pastas and meats were unbelievable, but I’ve got to tell you about these cannolis! The ricotta filling was so light and airy, not too sweet and filled with just enough chocolate chips to bite into. The crispy outer pastry shell was baked to perfection and broke into flaky chunks, smushing (is that a word?) with the sweet ricotta filling and making for the tastiest dessert we’ve ever had! I could go on about all the food, but I’ll spare you my poor culinary narrative skills…hopefully the pictures can do some justice. And can you believe Steve actually tried to restrict my food intake during lunch on Saturday?? Who knows why or what he was thinking, but I quickly put an end to that nonsense and ordered another plate of tagliatelle alla bolognese, pronto!
The rest of Sunday was spent strolling around Bologna, visiting a park with Seren and then hopping on the train back to Pavia late in the day. The train system in Europe is outstanding…we noticed how efficiently & timely the trains run, making the entire country & continent seem so accessible! It’s amazing that we could hop on a train and within 2 hours be in the Swiss alps skiing or in the opposite direction, swimming in the coastal towns of Cinque Terre or in Nice, France! We got home kind of late, so we stopped off at a local pizzeria and got Kebab Pizza for dinner….ok I know what you are thinking, but seriously, this was so ridiculously tasty! Maybe I was still on my food high from the weekend, but someone has to bring this idea back to NYC, they’ll make a killing…they take two of the best street foods: pizza and top it with all the insides of a gyro...sweet! Steve & I were cracking up because it reminded us of the hysterical SNL skit “taco town”.
The food was delicious! This is the kind of food that you take one bite of and you have to stop, smile and demand that everyone at the table try some immediately. This is the kind of food that you eat so slowly, narrarating every little taste and texture, as if you were some expert food critic. Of course the ragu alla Bolognese was the best we’ve had and the cheeses, pastas and meats were unbelievable, but I’ve got to tell you about these cannolis! The ricotta filling was so light and airy, not too sweet and filled with just enough chocolate chips to bite into. The crispy outer pastry shell was baked to perfection and broke into flaky chunks, smushing (is that a word?) with the sweet ricotta filling and making for the tastiest dessert we’ve ever had! I could go on about all the food, but I’ll spare you my poor culinary narrative skills…hopefully the pictures can do some justice. And can you believe Steve actually tried to restrict my food intake during lunch on Saturday?? Who knows why or what he was thinking, but I quickly put an end to that nonsense and ordered another plate of tagliatelle alla bolognese, pronto!
The rest of Sunday was spent strolling around Bologna, visiting a park with Seren and then hopping on the train back to Pavia late in the day. The train system in Europe is outstanding…we noticed how efficiently & timely the trains run, making the entire country & continent seem so accessible! It’s amazing that we could hop on a train and within 2 hours be in the Swiss alps skiing or in the opposite direction, swimming in the coastal towns of Cinque Terre or in Nice, France! We got home kind of late, so we stopped off at a local pizzeria and got Kebab Pizza for dinner….ok I know what you are thinking, but seriously, this was so ridiculously tasty! Maybe I was still on my food high from the weekend, but someone has to bring this idea back to NYC, they’ll make a killing…they take two of the best street foods: pizza and top it with all the insides of a gyro...sweet! Steve & I were cracking up because it reminded us of the hysterical SNL skit “taco town”.
By the way, today’s blog title “le dotta” and “le grossa” are two nicknames given to Bologna, meaning: the learned one and the fat one, referencing the city's university roots and its amazing cuisine.
Hope you are all well!
2 comments:
Your ability to blend the wonders of European travel with the genius of Taco Town is truly inspiring. I am sure Fodor's travel company will soon be knocking at your door for your literary skills. Well done!
We also want to know...did Seren get her hands on that pasta or is she still forced to settle for rice cereal? Come on, let the poor girl splurge for once. You know what they say, "When in Pavia..."
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