In Modena traveling with Balsamic Vinegar between Bulloni and Tortellini

In Modena traveling with Balsamic Vinegar between Bulloni and Tortellini – Luciano Pignataro Wine Blog

by Carmen Autuori

Bolts and tortellini were two great passions for Enzo Ferrari. After the war the firstthey had to take away the sweat of the earth from the people of Modena‘ as DraKe used to say: this is the fulcrum of the event organized on the occasion of Motor Valley Festfrom Pleasure Modena, a brand of the consortium company to which the main DOP and IGP protection consortia of the province of Modena belong, whose aim is not only to consolidate a rapidly growing sector, the agricultural one, but also to enhance hospitality in synergy with the structures already existing. Piacere Modena, with the constant support of the Chamber of Commerce, was born with the aim of enhancing the territory, its tradition, its history by conveying the immense value of DOC and IGP agri-food products. The province of Modena, with 27 DOC, PGI and TSG products, is first in Italy in terms of number and second to that of Parma in terms of economic impact.

Modena is by definition a welcoming area which, thanks to its food and wine excellence, music and motors, has been a destination for tourists, travelers and enthusiasts. Just think of Luciano Pavarotti, Enzo Ferrari, Massimo Bottura himself, in more recent times, and then the master cheesemakers of Parmigiano Reggiano, the wise producers of ham and Lambrusco and those ‘priests’ of tradition who are the Masters of Vinegar Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from Modena. And we start right from them.

Vinegar in the Municipality

Twenty-five years ago, with the aim of enhancing one of the excellences that embodies the oldest tradition of these lands – theTraditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena –, the idea of bringing the vinegar factories to the Municipalities was born.

Today the idea has become a project, Vinegar in the Municipality, a play on words that indicates both the location of the precious liquid and belonging to the host community. There are twenty-five municipal offices, all in the Estense area, in whose attics, as per tradition the place of conservation of balsamic, the batteries of barrels have found a home, to join the initiative. The municipal vinegar factories thus become precious treasure chests that preserve not only the ‘black gold’ of Modena but also the history and identity of a people.

<Maurizio Fini, Grand Master of the Consortium of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena thanks to which it all began -, the one in Modena built in 2003 looks at the Ghirlandina and has over time become a flagship of the various municipal administrations that have followed one another in recent years. Our register includes around 50,000 visitors from the opening to today, confirming the great interest in our product which has existed for two thousand years, as demonstrated first by Virgil in the Georgics and then by Apicius – the Bottura of the Romans – who wrote in De Re Coquinaria that the vinegar coming from the lands of Modena becomes better if forgotten in a barrel.

Historically, only Modena is the homeland of balsamic. The proof is its vines with low alcohol concentration and therefore its wine not suitable for conservation. Thus the people of Modena invented the cooking of the must which, by raising the sugar content and consequently the alcohol content, made it possible to maintain the precious drink.

Our regulations, even today, provide for a single ingredient, cooked must, coming from the sweetest grapes, strictly from Modena, which after soft pressing is cooked until the right level of concentration is obtained. It is then kept in the mother barrel, generally made of oak, but also chestnut, ash or cherry, where it acetates to be then used in the annual topping up of the batteries. The latter are made up of at least five 5 small barrels with decreasing volume which will lead to the finished product after at least 12 years. To obtain the Extravecchio it will take 25 years>>.

The finished product must be given to the Protection Consortium and only after its approval can it be packaged in the 100 ml bottle designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The fascinating Modena vinegar factory in the attic of the town hall contains three batteries: two with six small barrels which have taken the name of the rivers Bucket And Panaro and a ten called la Ghirlandina Towerfinally the Rezdore, that is, five Mother barrels. The care and love for “ambrosia deorum” is also evident from the details: precious doilies, all hand-embroidered, protect the opening of the barrels from dust or insects. The product is used by the Administration to pay homage to personalities during official visits.

The talk “At Enzo Ferrari’s house, between bolts and Tortellini”

Enzo Ferrari was a staunch and passionate defender of the most authentic Modenese gastronomic tradition, so much so that he could be defined as a true testimonial of his cuisine. This is what emerged from the very pleasant meeting conducted with rare competence by Leo Turriniwriter and journalist as well as a profound connoisseur of the most intimate Ferrari.

To bear their testimony Renata Nosetto, born in 1942, the first woman to be authorized by Drake himself to be present in the pits. A life spent for Ferrari both as administrative manager and as head of the press office. Renata recalled the enormous quantities of Parma ham that were sliced non-stop at lunchtime for both employees and guests, “someone took advantage of it to eat freely”, she was keen to point out, until Ferrari who didn’t love the waste decided to reduce the portions. Along with the ham, fried gnocco was never missing. It often happened that, once it was left over, it was consumed for breakfast together with coffee and milk.

There were many important guests who went to Maranello not only for the cars but also to have the pleasure of staying for lunch with the Commander at the very famous At the Cavallino. Not everyone knows that Ferrari at a certain point in his life no longer wanted to travel but, despite not moving, he brought the world to Maranello. Kings, queens, sheikhs, protagonists of the international jet set were often his guests. Among these the splendid Ingrid Bergman and the very sweetheart Roberto Rossellinia Swede, she Roman, a lover of carbonara and amatriciane he, once at the table they were forced to eat only tortellini rigorously in capon broth, zampone, Parma ham and to drink exclusively Lambrusco and a small glass of Nocino at the end of the meal.

He demanded the same menu on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday when he wanted only employees at his table, no personalities from the political or financial world, and the Maranello workshops were transformed into an enormous reception room, he recalled not without emotion Monica Zanettithe first female mechanic at Ferrari and therefore nicknamed Lady F40.

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Luciano Guerritechnician and designer with 40 years of activity in Ferrari, instead recalled the passion of the most important Formula 1 drivers, who were regulars at the family restaurant La Busafor the typical Modena dishes, first and foremost the tortellini with cream on the surface.

The same menu so dear to Enzo Ferrari, albeit in a modern key, was proposed by the restaurant Along the way, elegant structure obtained from an ancient mill. The chef is in the kitchen Emilio Barbieribelonging to one of the historic families of Modena restaurateurs, together with his wife Rita Antonella.

Fried gnocco, Parma ham, Modena PGI cotechino, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOC, San Felice salami and an extraordinary Modena PGI brusche sour cherry jam led the way, anticipating the cut of the dinner centered on the more traditional flavours.

The mise en place is very original: tortellini in abundance, Vignola cherries in blown glass, prototypes of the legendary Rossa and steel wheels as the centrepiece.

Tortelloni with ricotta from Monte Cimone, spinach cream and 30-month DOP Parmigiano Reggiano chips, a recipe that has its roots in the Middle Ages and a recovery dish that has introduced its evolution: tortello obtained from recovered ricotta whey which, scented with the aromatic herbs, becomes the heart.

Followed by the Lacquered Piglet and its evolution: walking wafer stuffed with pig waste including pork rinds and their broth which becomes jelly and livers.

The dessert was of great style and paid homage to Enzo Ferrari’s passions for desserts: Vignola PGI cherry sauce, dark chocolate biscuit, artisan cream ice cream and Extravecchio Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO.

The cathedrals of Parmigiano Reggiano Dop

Of the 300 dairies that produce Parmigiano Reggiano, Modena boasts 50 in its province alone. We are in Lesignana a few minutes from the center of Modena, home to the main factory of 4 Madonnas – Dairy of Emiliaa symbol of post-earthquake rebirth, completely renovated with respect for the environment: during the renovation phase, energy supplies deriving from renewable sources such as photovoltaic systems were adopted.

Despite a modern adaptation of the factories, production remains firmly anchored to tradition. The milk must come from Treasure Island, the territory between the provinces of Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma and Mantua, as the product has a very close link with the territory which starts from the bacteria necessary for fermentation passing through the 75% of the fodder must be produced by the companies that supply the milk, up to the maturation which must take place in this area for 12 months and can only continue in other areas after certification from the Protection Consortium.

Milk processing takes place in copper-lined boilers in the shape of an inverted bell. There are only three ingredients: milk, rennet and whey starter, the whey left over from the previous day’s processing stored at a controlled temperature. Once cooked at a temperature ranging from 35 to 55 degrees, the curd is broken with a “thorn”, a sort of whisk with a very long handle which takes its name from the hawthorn wood of which it was once made. At this point the cheesemaker lifts the mass from the boilers with a wooden shovel and divides it with a simple kitchen knife into two perfectly equal parts which will be left to drain in linen and hemp cloths before moving on to salting in steel tanks which lasts a few days and then proceeds with the maturing which must last at least 12 months.

Entering the maturing rooms that look like cathedrals in the town of Bengodi is a truly dreamlike experience that tells of all the passion of these people for their land and its excellence.