There are a dozen posts I could write about the amazing city of Bologna but as a good Southern I will start with a very important topic…FOOD! We enjoyed this vibrant city this summer, filled with market places, museums, and more. But what really turned my photographer kid’s head was the amazing displays of food located at Mercato delle Erbe.
Head towards the main Piazza Maggiore, stand in front of the lovely Basilica, turn your head to the left and walk….keep going…keep going…BAM-stalls and stalls and shops and shops of delectable items. Bologna is known as the Food Capital of Italy which may come as a surprise as most travelers never even get to this lovely portico filled town. I had heard of bolognese sauce before arriving and it did live up to it’s reputation! But what you can not leave without is trying the tortellini (wide very yellow strips of fresh pasta), also famous for lasagna and tagliatele(tiny little pasta knots with surprises tucked inside).
NEVER have I checked a bag while traveling to Italy…well, Bologna changed that. I bought oil, wild boar, pasta, more oil…cheese (but we ate it before we left!) and more oil.
Here are a few yummy pictures the kid took…I just walked around and ate.
The kid’s favorite food…cheese…fresh pecorini to be exact!
Fresh vegetables are everywhere you turn.
I just want to bite right into these to see what is inside.
So many places you go up to the counter and make a plate to eat now or take away…including a pound or two of fresh mozzarella.
And don’t forget the bread.
I spent some time in this shop!
The wild boar came from this inviting shop.
We have a serious cheese fetish.
The “Dolce” are always beautiful.
How do you eat this? Pure sugar-we would call this a “meringue”…but this one is huge!
You could take some pasta home to share?
Only “tourists” take these home as no Italian would ever eat colored pasta….but they do make fun gifts!
One last salumi purchase and my suitcase is stuffed!
so tired from shopping we had to stop to eat!
and there is plenty of vino and olio..but alas, we are shopped out…
If you are ever in Bologna-find this market, you will not be disappointed, and will not go hungry.
