Emilia - Romagna

From Emilia in the north-west to Romagna on the Adriatic, this area is part mountainous, part the plain of the Po River, and the cooking is robust, rich and full of flavour. The region is famous for its wonderful prosciutto and parmigiano, as well as the aged balsamic vinegar of Modena, and Emilians claim to be Italy’s primary pasta-makers. Many renowned Italian dishes and products come from the capital, Bologna, and other towns, including mortadella, zampone, coppa and pancetta.

I’ve been to Emilia-Romagna many times and I know this part of Italy well, but I always discover so much more on every visit. Last year, I drove with Alastair, the photographer, from Liguria over the Apennines into Emilia-Romagna, to be greeted by a sign announcing that we were entering the famous strada dei funghi. You can imagine how delighted I was - the area around Borgotaro is a mushroom paradise. We drove on to Soragna and Busseto, where some of the best Italian musicians come from, among them Giuseppe Verdi, Luciano Pavarotti and Carlo Bergonzi.