Foods of the Po Valley

Wine Regions of Italy Map

Piemonte

Notable for White Truffles from Alba and Mondovi and Grissini and “Tonde gentile delle Langhe” Hazelnuts

Cheese: Taleggio, Castelmagno, Robbiola di Roccaverano, Bruss and Tome

Salumi:

Traditional Dishes: Beef Carpaccio and Carne Cruda lean raw beef, are served with extra virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh garlic then 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.

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.

Lombardia

Famed for “risotto” rice and polenta.

and dairy from cows, goats and sheeps milk cheeses like renowned Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Provalone, Gorgonzola, Taleggio e Quartirolo, Crescenza and Masarpone.

Cured meats. Bresaola, Mortdella, Pancetta, Salame from Brianza, Salamini alla Cacciatora, Salame Varzi and Salame Cremona,

Dishes Osso Bucco Milanese – Braised Veal shanks served with Risotto Milanese (saffron risotto); Bollito (assorted boiled meats) served with a Salsa Verde (a spread made of chopped herbs) or Mostarda Cremonese (fuits preserved in sugar and mustard oil)

Sweets : Panettone e Torrone di Cremona

Veneto

Grains: Notable Vialone Nano Rice pairs beautifully with Veneto’s local fish and crustacians. 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 and Soporessa Vicentina.

Sweets: Pandoro

Dishes: Fish soup; Polenta with Baccala (dried salted cod)