About the PoValley
THE BREADBASKET OF ITALY
Po Valley Foods offers gourmet Italian specialties sourced from artisan producers who are passionate about their work, value age-old traditions, have profound nutritional knowledge, and respect their environment. Their dedication is evident in the quality of their all-natural products. Here you'll delicious foods from all over Italy and insight as to what makes them the finest in the market. Our selections easily transform a meal into a memorable authentic Italian experience.
About Us
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The Po River stretches across the top of the “boot” for over 400 miles. From the Alps bordering France in the West, through the regions of Piemonte, Lombardia, Emilia Romagna and Veneto to the Adriatic sea in the east, the plains of the Val Padana are home to some of Italy’s most picturesque and historic towns including Piacenza, Pavia, Cremona, Mantova, and Ferrara.
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The Po River's large, fertile valley has sustained Italians, and their livestock, for millennia with wholesome cereals like rice, wheat, buckwheat and corn. As the Po River winds its way through the various regions of Northern Italy, traditional recipes feature the culinary traditions and ingredients typical to the area.
Piemonte
Notable for White Truffles from Alba and Mondovi; Grissini and “Tonde gentile delle Langhe” Hazelnuts.
Cheeses including: Taleggio, Castelmagno, Robbiola di Roccaverano, Bruss and Tome.
Traditional Dishes include: Beef Carpaccio and "Carne Cruda", lean raw beef, are served with extra virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh garlic, topped with shaven White Truffles; "Vitello Tonnato" Veal with Tuna sauce; Bagna Caoda; risotto with cheese, fish, game and mushrooms; Brasato al Barolo.
Sweets: Bonet (similar to a chocolate crème caramel); Hazelnut Cake and Gianduia Chocolate Hazelnut cream.
Lombardia
Notable for “risotto” rice, polenta, cheeses and salumi.
Cheeses made from cow, goat and sheeps' milk. Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Provalone, Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Quartirolo, Crescenza and Mascarpone.
Cured meats: Bresaola, Mortadella, Pancetta, Salame from Brianza, Salamini alla Cacciatora, Salame di Varzi and Salame Cremona.
Dishes: "Osso Bucco Milanese" Braised veal shanks served with saffron "Risotto "Milanese"; Bollito (assorted boiled meats) served with a "Salsa Verde" (a spread made of chopped herbs) or Mostarda Cremonese (fruits preserved in sugar and mustard oil)
Sweets : Panettone e Torrone di Cremona
Emilia Romagna
Notable for the legendary, Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Prosciutto di Parma.
Other Salumi: Regional Pancetta, Culatello and Mortadella. Cooked salumi include Zampone (pigs trotter) and Cotecchino (Cooked pork sausage).
Dishes: Fresh handmade, stuffed pastas like tortellini, ravioli and cannelloni dominate in Emilia Romagna (due also to the local cultivation of wheat) and are often served with Bolognese sauce.
Veneto
Notable for Vialone Nano Rice (which pairs beautifully with Veneto’s local fish and crustaceans) and Polenta.
Vegetables: Radicchio from Treviso or Castelfranco and Asparagus from Bassano, Cimadolmo and Badoere. White Garlic from Polesano
Cheeses: Asiago and Casatella Trevignana
Salumi: Prosciutto Veneto (San Daniele) and Soporessa Vicentina.
Sweets: Pandoro
Dishes: Fish soup; Polenta with Baccala (dried salted cod)
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