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Emilia Romanga, the Gastronomical Capital of Italy
by claire
Hosted by Typically Italian Holidays
Saturday 28th October we flew with Easyjet from Gatwick to Bologna arriving early afternoon. We were met and driven about an hour into the hills where we were taken to a vineyard for a visit and wine tasting. They also produce their own Olive Oil on site and local residents bring their olives to the property to be pressed and bottled.
After about an hour or so of very nice wine tasting we were transported to our home for 2 nights in the town of Portico, Al Vecchio Convento. The hotel has 8 rooms on the property but they also have many rooms spread throughout the village where their residents stay and all offer en-suite accommodation with meals taken back at Al Vecchio Convento. Our first evening was a wonderful meal cooked by their Michelin star chef/owner Massimo.
The Following morning after breakfast was our first cooking lesson, pasta making.
A local lady from the village was our teacher for the morning, she did not speak any English at all but a waitress from the hotel was her interpreter if we got stuck. This is something, along with all the other activities we did, that is offered as part of the package to Al Vecchio Convento, along with language lessons.
After lunch we headed out truffle hunting to a local forest, where the dog had success and found a couple of truffles that were taken back to be used at the hotel, then before heading back to the hotel we went up to the local ‘volcano’, a most bizarre fire that has been burning for several hundred years.
That evening before dinner we had more wine tasting back at Al Vecchio Convento, and then dinner with the starter being our own pasta made earlier that day. At Al Vecchio Convento all food is included and drinks with your meals, wines, beers or soft drinks.
The last morning we all got early for another cookery lesson, this time to make fresh break.
This was made and put in the oven before breakfast so it would have time to cool slightly before our transfer back to Bologna and our flight home at lunchtime.
Our stay was very much a whistle stop visit, for a more leisurely experience Typically Italian would normally recommend a stay of 4 or 5 nights, but hey can tailor the trip to the individuals requirements.