Reggio Emilia: the Reign of Good Eating

Just south of Parma, the region of Reggio Emilia is best associated with parmigiano reggiano cheese.
And not only: if you’re a teacher, you’ve probably studied Reggio Emilia’s innovative early childhood education – the Reggio Emilia Approach. Modern architecture appassionati will know Reggio Emilia boasts Calatrava bridges, a railway station and other stunning Calatrava infrastructure improvements. You might not know that Reggio Emilia was the first city where the tricolore, the Italian flag, was hung out (January 7, 1797) to wave over the characteristic Reggio vaulted alleyways and elegant pastel-toned 17th- and 18th-century palazzi.

Calatrava modern touches in Reggio

Pastel elegance in Reggio Emilia’s elegant palazzi

Stroll past them today down the Via Emilia, peeping into the characteristic elegant courtyards as you wander, but don’t let the beauty distract you: watch out for the bicycle-riders. Turn into Via Roma, passing a stunning palazzo with intricate stuccoed vines crawling up the fading rose facade and you’ll come to a modern nondescript building, Ristorante Canossa.

Note the palazzi and courtyard charm of Reggio as you stroll – and watch out for the bikers!

Ristorante Canossa, serving up Reggio goodness

In Reggio, good-eating reigns. The proof is here where the four Calo’ brothers have been serving up emiliano goodness for about 45 years. Giuliano in the kitchen with smiling assistant Silvana proudly showed me their homemade tagliatelle, ravioli verdi (with spinach and ricotta) and their biggest pasta draw, the homemade tortelli filled with zucca (orange winter squash), an emiliano signature dish. How to resist? I didn’t.

Giuliano and Silvana, proud of their homemade pastas

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Giuliano serves up ravioli; brother Giovanni adds a generous dollop of butter

Homemade spinach-stuffed ravioli

Tagliatelle, just made

I knew what Pino’s choice would be (and always is, if we’re in the region of Emilia Romagna…): the boiled meats. Nicola’ pushes around the carrello dei bolliti (cart on wheels with a selection of boiled and roasted meats, ranging from beef tongue to beef to ham to pig’s feet to turkey to guinea fowl), stopping at the tables so guests can make their selections. Many of them are clienti abituali, not surprisingly….. Nicola slices the meats like a surgeon. “Attenzione!” the wait-staff brother Silvio warned as he dashed from table to table, “he’s been slicing meats with knives like that for about fifty years.” He added with a smile, “Best not to get in his way.”

Nicola at the carrello del lesso

Nicola slices meats like a surgeon

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Nicola wheels the carrello around to clients, many come here often (clienti abituali)

Nicola sliced Pino’s meat selections, added mashed potatoes on the side and then set out for Pino the traditional bollito sauces: the classic salsa verde (with capers, parsley, anchovies), a pickled vegetable one, horseradish, a spicy tomato sauce and the colorful mostarda of candied fruits and mustard, inveterate companion to the carrello di bollito.

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Pino’s selection of boiled meats

The four tasty sauces for the bollito (also called “lesso”)

Pino thinks over his sauces choices

We both sampled the tasty vegetable temptations on the carrello di verdure – and did notice the temptations of the carrello di dolci, the creme caramel of course taking center stage, as we paid our bill.