Off the Beaten Path - Italia ( Continued Part 3 )

Part 3 continued ... Would enjoy hearing from gastro and eno travellers who have been off the beaten path in the Italian countryside and along the coasts ...

Maleo, East of Milan ...

Approximately 60km southeast of Milan, in the Lombardian town of Maleo is the gem:

                               Albergo del Sole ...

Mario and Francesca Colobani run this legendary little intimate rural hotel and restaurant which are both tucked into a building with a 1464 circa ...

The red wine carte is quite impressive. The culinary specialties compliment the superb wine cellar of reds. The delicacies we shared are:

Paté di Fagiano e Beccaria, which combines pheasant and woodcock ...

Terrific and melt in your mouth venison

The Germano ( wild duck ) braised with local wild mushrooms

The exquisite cheese platter including Grana Padano, Taleggio and Gorgonzola

The house recommended Galleto alla Diavola, a grilled on flame baby chicken brushed with local sun dried red chili pepper and herb scented  olive oil

Approximately 60 minutes east of Sole, just over the Veneto border is an epicurean haven almost no foreigners  know ... The hamlet of Valeggio Sul Mincio on the banks of the Mincio River ... This Veneto gem of a village is where the ancient Tortellini makers have existed long before Italians had begun immigrating to North America, Australia etcetra.

The Trattoria IL Bue d´Oro, the Golden Ox, prepares all their tortellini by hand and fill them with veal hand by hand ... Additionally, there are the creamy Stracchino cheese tortelli with zucchini. The main courses pay homage to the local seasonal raw materials of the zone.

There are three other delightful small restaurants that I highly suggest a stop :

Trattoria Maso Cantangel, a 28 seat treasure tucked into a wine cellar located 2 hours from Valeggio. This spontaneous cooking included Lake Garda olive oil dressed fresh veggies and braised meats with herbs.

Just further east, Lavarino, Udine in Friuli, is Trattoria Blasut featuring gastronomic pleasures including :

Famed for their White fresh asparagus, Montasio cheese, Frico, a crisp Italian aperitif and roast goose, woodcock or duck varieties.

Last and certainly, not the least is Emilia Romagna ... The home to Parmesano Reggiano, Modena Balsamic Vinegar and Proscuitto di Palma, this region hosts a world of Italian sybarite sensations.

The stunner village of Polesine Parmense is home to Al Cavallino Bianco, The White Pony and there are ponies there ... The unforgettables are:

Tortelli D´Erbette = little pillows of pasta filled with Swiss chard and ricotta and topped with aged Parmesano and then, the fresh storione alla brace, the Grilled fresh River Sturgeon, which is to die for and go to heaven ...
 

Do stop in the town of Roncole Verdi, in which Giuseppe Verdi was born and the hamlets of Sant´Agata and Busseto.

I had lived in Italia for 3 years and have travelled the 2 hours frequently over the years I am residing in Spain ... This is the land of nectar and ambrosia ...

Good evening Simone.

Firstly, this post dates back to 2011 and the trip prior to that, 2009.

Yes obviously, I am well versed and aware of the cultural interest of the Governmental Ministries of Tourism and the Town Halls which provide recipes to tourists and those interested in the regional fare of specific zones throughout Italia - and especially Emilia Romagna - ( Bolonia ).

( Spain, Greeece and Portugal are very similar in their regional food cultures ).

My paternal grandmother owned a Trattoria. If you have read my older posts or my profile, you would have known, I am half Italian, live in both Spain ( professional commitment ) and Italy ( a special place for my daughters and the gent is Italian ) and yes, I know most of Italy quite well, spending alot of time there and travelling there several times yearly.

Chef Mario Batali was a neighbour of my parents years ago in Manhattan´s Greenwich Village.

Emilia Romagna:  The restaurant that Chef Batali recommended to me as well as friends in Bologna, is: Enoteca La Campannina. My grandmother made her bolognese the same way as the chef of this enoteca, except there was a minor change due to export / import. Fabulous.

I have no plans to go to Emilia Romangna this year, however, if you tell me the name of ur restaurant or trattoria, the next time I am in that province perhaps we shall have lunch there --- if time permits.

Thanks anyway for taking the time to send the information that you posted.

Margaux Cintrano.