Expert of the Days: Bologna and Milan

Just in case you want to know a little more about Bologna and Milan I made this entry of our 'Expert of the Day' assignments. Enjoy!

{{Emilia-Romagna Expert of the Day's}}

Food and Wines of Emilia-Romagna

:the region of central Italy

:lies to the south of the Po River, and the fertile Po valley is the source of the region's agricultural wealth and high standard of living.

:historically it was composed of two regions, Emilia and Romagna. It may be the only region of Italy named for a road, one constructed by the Ancient Romans almost 2200 years ago.

·      Regional Capital: Bologna

·      Ranks 6th among the regions in size

·      Ranks 8th in population

::Wine::

·      Vineyards cover 76,000 hectares.

·      Annual wine production: 75% is red.

:Emilia-Romagna's wines are considered different on the whole from neighboring regions.

:Considered simple in style.

:the region consists of two distinct sectors which coincide more or less at the capital of Bologna.

To the West lies Emilia:

premier wine here is:

Lambrusco

: frothy shades of purple to pink, made from grapes grown on high trelissed vines mainly in the southern flatlands south.

:Produced at the rate of about 50 million bottles a year in the four DOC zones around Modena and Reggio.

:Most Lambrusco shipped away is "amabile" or sweet and sold without an apellation, while most of what is drunk at home is dry and more often DOC.

:The dry is considered the perfect match for the rich regional cooking.

:Wines are often "frizzante."

To the East lies Romagna:

:The plains of the Po basin between Ferrara and Ravenna are noted for fruit, vegetables and ultra-high-yield vines, most of which are sources of blending wines.

:1987: Albana di Romagna, Italy's first DOCG white wine, often dry and still with a distinctive almondy undertone.

:Trebbiano (Romagna's is distinct from other vines of the same name) is almost always light and fresh, whether still or bubbly, with a fragility that makes it best in its youth.

:The local favourite is Sangiovese: a medium bodied red with a fruity flavour that ends in a bitter bite.

:Nocino: a liqueur made of green walnuts steeped in distilled spirits.

::Food::

:Emilia-Romagna produces a very wide variety of pasta, fruits and vegetables, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cheese, and fresh and cured meats.

·      Famous Cheese: Parmigiano Regianno.

·      Famous Ham: Prosciutto di Parma: uncooked ham that is dry cured for at least ten months. Usually it is served in very thin slices, often as appetizer with melon.

Be sure to try/order:

Gelato di Parmigiano: Parmigiano "Ice Cream"

:heavy cream and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. (suggested as an appetizer.)

Scaloppine di Vitello alla Bolognese, Veal Scaloppine all Bolognese

:Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma and balsamic vinegar.

Torta Bonissima

:a Honey and Nut Pie.

{Pasta}

Tagliatelle con ragù

:pasta with meat sauce.

Garganelli

:rolled tubes.

Passatelli

:slim dumplings.

Pasticcio

:pasta with other ingredients baked in a pie.

{Bread}

Coppiette

:hard wheat rolls of snow white interior and tawny

Piadina or Piada

:baked on tiles (or griddles) and folded over prosciutto, cheese or greens.

Spianata or Torta Salata

:thicker focaccia  

Borlengo or burleng

:cooked like a crêpe, dressed with salt pork, garlic and rosemary, folded into quarters and served with grated Parmigiano.

{Meat and Seafood}

Salame gentile

:the Romagnola breed of cattle is covered by the IGP of Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale.

:Other meats throughout the region are veal, turkey, capon, chicken and rabbit.

:Romagnans have a taste for duck and grilled and roast pork, lamb and mutton.

Brodetto

:is among the tastiest of the Adriatic's fish soups. Eels from the Comacchio lagoon may be stewed, roasted or grilled.

{Fruit}

:cherries of Vignola.

:the pears, peaches and nectarines.

:Chestnuts.

{Desserts}

Romagna's gialetti

:cornmeal biscuits.

{Vinegar and Olive Oil}

Aceto balsamico tradizionale

:aged at least 12 years in barrels of different types of wood to become dark, dense and almost too divine to be called vinegar.

:a unique condiment for meat, fish, and vegetables or the prime ingredient in saucesOlive Oil

:Emilia Romagna houses the best olive groves to produce some of the finest olive oils in the world.

(via Jamie Krywicki)

Bologna

Reputation

1. Home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna

2. Ranks high in terms of quality of life in Italy

3. Has a strong industrial tradition and a wide range of highly-developed social services

4. It is a cosmopolitan Italian college city, known throughout Italy as the mecca of fun and a hedonistic city, where night life and fun can be found for all generations.

5. Known worldwide for its rich history, art, food, music, and culture

6. Its character is expressed in the red of its buildings and the long, long porticoes that are everywhere

7. Red is also the color of its local government which from the end of WWII until the present have contributed to making the city famous for its openness and tolerance.

History

1. The first inhabitants of Bologna date back to the Iron Age (10th century BC).

2. The Etruscans lived in Bologna (called Felsina at that time) from the end of the 6th century to middle of the 4th and then it passed to the Gauls.

3. The Romans defeated the Gauls in 191 BC, founding the colony of Bonomia along the Via Emilia.

4. During the Middle Ages, Bologna became a free commune

5. During its golden age in the 13th century, Bologna quickly developed thanks to the university, trade, and the political backing of the Church

6. At the end of the 13th century, Bologna was one of the top 10 cities of Europe.

7. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the city was fought over by the Church and the Viscounts (noble family from Milan)

8. Then Bentivoglio came into power and began the progressive domination of the popes over the city.

9. In 1506, Bologna lost its sovereignty and was governed by one of the Pope's cardinals for two centuries.

10. It became part of the new Italian state in 1859

11. Between the 19th and 20th centuries European town planning models took over: the city was embellished with public gardens and wide boulevards.

12. In 2000, it was named "European Capital of Culture"

What to Do, What to See

1. Very few visitors know it, but under Bologna there is a dense network of canals which supplied energy in the past to make silk and grind wheat. Most of these were covered in the 1900's, but if you go to Via Piella 18, there is a window under the portico where you can view some.

2. Il Collegio di Spagna is a very beautiful medieval college founded in 1365 to house the Spanish students enrolled in the famous university.

3. Tortellini in Bologna are stuffed with meat, prosciutto, mortadella, parmesan and are served in broth.

4. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine grown between Bologna and Reggio Emilia with a light and fruity taste.

5. Via Indipendenza is golden mile of shopping, the most popular in Bologna. There are tons of shops, with a wide range of goods and affordable for everyone.

6. Via del Pratello is the focal point of Bologna's night life, where nothing ever shuts down.

(via Danielle Kessler)

{{Milan Expert of the Day's}}

Foods and Wines of Lombardy and the Aperitivo Tradition 

• Polenta, rice, and risotto are very popular in Lombardy. They are eaten in this area more than pasta.
• Rice is frequently cultivated in the lower regions.
• Butter is used quite frequently because of Lombardy’s dairyproduction. In years past, butter was used more than olive oil.
• Before WWII olive oil was only used by the wealthy for salads.
• After the war the olive oil trees had to be chopped down to replace furniture lost during the war. Therefore the region starting using more olive oil.
• Because of the dairy production, the region is also known for making a lot of cheese.
• Gorgonzola di montagna: zesty, old-fashioned Gorgonzola that is highly sought after by cheese connoisseurs;
• Bel Paese: soft and mild.
• Robiola: creamy.
• Taleggio: runny
• Meat is consumed in high quantities. Beef is very popular and of better quality than the other Italy regions. Pork is also very popular to eat.

• Common Dishes:
• Milan: Risotto alla  Milanese (risotto with saffron), minestrone
• alla milanese (a soup of green vegetables, rice and bacon), cotoletta
• alla milanese, (Milanese Veal Cutlet) (a fillet of veal fried in egg and bread-crumbs with cheese)
• Pavia: "risotto con le rane" (Risotto with Frogs). Frogs are also fried whole to form a crunchy local antipasto.
• Lombardy is known for its sparkling wine produced in Franciacorta. This sparkling white wine is a lot like champagne and is more high end than Prosecco.
• Valtellina produces some powerful, high-end red wines on steep hill side vineyards. Chiavennasca is the main grape that produces these wines.
• Oltrepò Pavese is the wine region closest to Milan. It became a well known wine selling region because of the Po River flowing through it to help with trade.
• The Croatina, Uva Rara and Pinot Nero grapes are used in the region’s red and rosé wines. The region also produces sparkling whites, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nerot and Chardonnay.

• The Aperitivo Tradition:
• Comes from the Latin word “aperitivus,” meaning “to open,”
• A pre-dinner drink and buffet style foods served to open the palate and it gives you a chance to socialize, relax, and nibble as dinner approaches or is overlooked altogether.
• An old Italian tradition that started as early as the Roman times.
• It has more direct roots back to the 1800s but came to Milan in the 1920s. Milan is now known as the aperitivo capital.
• Usually from 6 or 7pm -9pm
• The food served is usually mozzarella, meats, cheeses, chips, mini pizzas, etc.
• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served Non: coke to fruit juice Alcoholic: any cocktail or wine. Wine used to not be drunk during aperitivo but it is becoming more popular.

• Popular drinks
• All are based on bitter alcohols like: Campari

(via Mary Grace Hatcher)

 The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

• The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a covered double arcade formed of two glass-vaulted arcades at right angles intersecting in an octagon, prominently sited on the northern side of the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, and connects to the Piazza della Scala. Named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of united Italy, it was originally designed in 1861 and built by Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877.Its author, Giuseppe Mengono, copied the idea from Paris and London where these galleries where very popular. Inside the Gallery you’ll find many shops and cafes. A legend says that stepping on the Tauro’s "parts" brings good luck.
• The street is covered over by an arching glass and cast iron roof, a popular design for nineteenth-century arcades, such as the Burlington Arcade, London, which was the prototype for larger glazed shopping arcades, beginning with the Saint-Hubert Gallery in Brussels (opened 1847), the Passazh in St Petersburg (opened 1848), the Galleria Umberto I in Naples (opened 1890) and the Budapest Galleria.
• The central octagonal space is topped with a glass dome. The Milanese Galleria was larger in scale than its predecessors and was an important step in the evolution of the modern glazed and enclosed shopping mall, of which it was the direct progenitor. It has inspired the use of the term galleria for many other shopping arcades and malls. The use of the iron structure has inspired also the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. 102 glass designs that make up the pavement of the Galleria’s splendid central octagon. Once a gesture to ward off evil, it has become part of the Milanese tradition and has such a following that a deep hole has formed in the pavement.
• The Galleria also offers shelter to its guests from sudden rain or the hot sun, welcoming them underneath its elegant ceiling of iron and glass – similar to those of the Parisian train stations
• The Galleria connects two of Milan's most famous landmarks: The Duomo and the Teatro Alla Scala, but the Galleria is a landmark on its own right.
• The Galleria is often nicknamed il salotto di Milano, or Milan's drawing room, due to its numerous shops and importance as a common Milanese meeting and dining place.
• More than 130 years after its inauguration, the four-story arcade includes elegant shops selling most things from haute couture and jewelry to books and paintings, as well as restaurants, cafés, and bars. Directly connected to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Milan's ultra-luxurious Town House Galleria hotel, offering the city's most luxurious (and most expensive) rooms and facilities. The Galleria is famous for being home to some of the oldest shops and restaurants in Milan, such as the historic Biffi Caffè, founded in 1867 by Pastry Chef to His Majesty Paolo Biffi and (in 1882) the first Milanese café to install electric lighting, the sophisticated Savini restaurant, the silverware store Bernasconi and the Art Nouveau classic Zucca's Bar.
• Today, the Galleria is the site for many luxury goods' shops, including Prada, Massimo Dutti, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, as well as fast food outlets such as McDonald's.

(via Megan Gaudet)

Quadrilatero d’Oro

• Quadrilatero d'Oro means the “Golden Quadrilateral” in English and it’s the the shopping quarter to the northeast of Piazza del Duomo, all four streets are connected and it’s home to the shops of all the big designer names, along with design studios and contemporary art galleries.
• Since the 19th century this area has been known as the Quadrilatero d’Oro, a name that stems from all of the palatial buildings that were erected by wealthy citizens.
•  The four Streets are: Via Montenapoleone, Via (Della) Spiga, Via Borgospesso, and Via Sant'Andrea, which are lined with Milan's most expensive high-fashion emporia.
•  The main artery of this shopping heartland is Via Montenapoleone, lined with the chichiest boutiques and most elegant fashion outlets, with parallel street Via della Spiga running a close second.
•  Known by locals as the Montenapo, the Via Montenapoleone is the most famous street in the Fashion District. It is named after a bank - the Monte Napoleone - that was located here until the early 19th century. This was the first street known for its luxurious fashion. Visitors can now head to the stores/workshops of such renowned designers as Gucci, Versace, Luis Vuitton, Hermès and numerous others.
•  Via Spiga: People love shopping on this pedestrianized street. It was once the domain of bakeries, the street is now home to designer store such as Bulgari, Krizia, Sergio Rossi, Dolce and Gabbana and numerous others. Some of those names may not be familiar to everyone, but most Italians and others who are haute couture followers are familiar with the work of these designers.
•  Via Sant Andrea: On this street, look for designers such as Chanel, Armani and Hermes, just to name a few. But there's more than just fashion stores here.
• The Museo di Milano, a museum that documents the history of the city, is housed in the 18th century Palazzo Morando Attendolo Bolognini.
•  Where Dolce and Gabbana have around 100 shops including barbers and cafes. All major designers, Italian and non Italian, have a shop in this area, and most of these shops include some brilliant design and, most likely, a restaurant, bar or a cafe inside.
• The problem is that you won't have enough money to pay for drinks or food in them, let along clothes or shoes. Price of a coffee start at 6 € and go up from there.
• Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world. Many young people from around the world come here with dreams of becoming designers, models, fashion photographers, seamstresses, cosmeticians, etc, so the Quadrilatero d’Oro remains a staple of Milan’s iconic image.

(via Susanna Foster)

 La Scala Teatro

• “La Scala” or “Teatro alla Scala” is one of the most famous theaters in the world, home to a Chorus, Opera and Ballet.
• Inaugurated August 3rd, 1778.
• Originally known as the “New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala”.
• The previous theater, Teatro Regio Ducale, was burned down in 1776 after a carnivale gala.
• Built on site of old church Santa Maria della Scala, where it gets its name.
• Originally was lit entirely with oil lamps, to prevent fire hazard several rooms would be filled with hundreds of buckets of water, just in case.
• Almost 3000 seats, 6 tiers of box levels, and and two galleries, the stage is one of the largest in Italy.
• The gallery, or loggione, is known for being a sort of “baptism of fire” and expressing opinion toward the opera performers, in 2006 the gallery booed off the male lead forcing his understudy to replace him without time to change into costume.
• Mary Shelley, an opera lover, commented on the theater’s roudiness and gambling in 1840, “At the Opera they were giving the Templario. Unfortunately, as is well known, the theatre of La Scala serves, not only as the universal drawing-room for all the society of Milan, but every sort of trading transaction, from horse-dealing to stock-jobbing, is carried on in the pit; so that brief and far between are the snatches of melody one can catch.”
• First performance there was opera by famous Italian composer Antonio Salieri.
• Severely damaged by WWII in 1943, restored and reopened in 1946.
• Season opens on December 7th, the feast day of St. Ambrose (patron saint of Milan).
• All performances must end by midnight, they will start as early as necessary to finish by this time.
• Inside is the Museo Teatrale alla Scala containing paintings, costumes, statues, drafts, etc. relating to the theater’s history.
• Underwent major renovations from 2002-2004, improved structure and sound quality

(via Laura Giles)