re: Northern Italy Trip Review (UPDATED Final Day in Modena)

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AbitaFan, can you expound on how to do the free cheese tour? What is this consortium? My gf and I want to take a quick weekend trip this weekend, and she would love this. I just feel if we did this I would have to set something up today or lose the chance

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I should clarify. We did not do a tour AT the consortium. We did a tour at a dairy/farm that is a member OF the consortium. The consortium organizes the tour with the dairy, and then an employee of the consortium meets you there and gives you the tour.

Honestly, I don't know if you can do it last minute. They only do tours on Monday-Friday at 8:30am. But if you want to try to schedule it, just send an email to sezionemo@parmigianoreggiano.it and ask about setting up a tour. They will reach out to the dairies that are members and set one up then send you the address and then a guide from the consortium will meet you there to give the tour.

Depended on the place. Some AirBnBs we were able to pay for up front, others we were required to pay on site, and some we had to pay a deposit up front and pay the balance on site.

Same with the wine tours. A couple were prepaid, most were pay on site.

But we had no issues.

Sorry for the delay in the updates. Still have a lot to get through to finish up this trip review.

On our last day in Modena, we explored the Piazza Grande and beautiful cathedral, which was unfortunately under construction. We also walked around the city just taking photos.

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Since we were unable to fit in a visit to a balsamic vinegar producer, we went over to the consortiums storefront to learn more about the process of making it and try some authentic balsamics. It’s amazing how different it is the runny super acidic stuff we get in the US. Thick, sweet, tangy, but so different from one another too. We ended up loving the cherry wood barrel aged one so much we bought it home with us. The woman who gave us samples also told us to go get some gelato down the street at Emilia Cremeria and come back and she would let us try it with some drops of balsamic. The Fior di latte (flower of milk) was incredible with our new bottle.









We then walked around Mercato Albinelli (Modena’s public market featured on Chef’s Table and Master of None). Incredible space with the best looking produce, meats, fish, pastas, flowers, etc.









We went next door to Bar Shiavoni (also featured on Master of None) for one of their famous paninis. Their menu changes daily and is handwritten on the chalk board inside the very tiny space. The woman behind the counter was super friendly and helpful in translating and making recommendations.

After lunch, we got on the road and headed toward Florence. Looking back, wish we would have just stayed in Modena for the Florence days too. Modena was one of, if not my favorite place we went to on the trip.

Bump

Spending a week in Modena/Emilia Romagna in November. Any tips/suggestions/do’s/don’t’s? Flying into Bologna and renting a car, and staying in Modena. Already have a cheese tour booked, but looking for maybe a vineyard tour. Have reservations at Franceschetta58 and Hosteria Giusti already, but really looking for any recommendations in Bologna and the surrounding towns.

I like Bologna a lot.

I wish I could remember the place we ate at but I can’t. Do a Parmesan tasting and have some Lambrusco