Typical Products of the Emilia Romagna Region

How we select and ship typical Emilian and Romagna products

Spaghetti & Mandolino has always been synonymous with quality: we are the only e-commerce in Italy that guarantees the online sale of the best excellent typical Emilian and Romagna products, and as such, they deserve proper shipping and packaging that preserves the properties and integrity of each single product thanks to special packaging and freshness-saving containers. 
 

From Emilia to Romagna: cultural traditions

There is Emilia and there is Romagna. A line of demarcation that, although not visible on the map, is certainly felt in the history and traditions of the inhabitants of this region. The first thing that distinguishes the Emilians from the Romagnoli is the language, followed by the character which, in the case of the Romagnoli, is more passionate and straightforward. A mix of sympathy and determination that borders on a daring attitude, as brilliantly interpreted by the great director Fellini in his Amarcord filmed in Rimini.

Piacenza is the most Lombard province of Emilia, while Ferrara spills, to the north, into Venetian territory beyond the Po River. Romagna is the only region, aside from Lazio, that has a State within a State, San Marino. A rebellious land that has always been hard to tame by institutions. First against the papacy, then against the system. It is part of the DNA of the Romagnoli people to be “against”. Yet it is the people who make hospitality their greatest virtue.

The Romagna coast has always been the most important summer tourist area in Italy, and only its carefree and revolutionary spirit has allowed for the construction of the most significant beach industry in Italy, which hosts millions of people from around the world every year.

Romagna is the homeland of “liscio,” a modern reinterpretation of old Viennese waltzes and polkas from Eastern Europe. It might seem at least provocative, that music played on an accordion. But how... does the beautiful Blue Danube become a popular ballad? Daring! Yet in Romagna, everything that could have a teasing aroma has become well-received and followed by the people.

Emilia, on the other hand, has a nobler history, where great Renaissance families built the essence and future of entire territories. The Este, the Canossa, the Bentivoglio, the Farnese, the Malatesta, and the Papal State. From them and, thanks to them, typical agri-food productions took root and became established. Thanks to them, some products became famous throughout Europe, and the first commercial exchanges between dynasties began.

The typical products of Emilia Romagna

It was thus that the Culatello di Zibello DOP reached the Valois in France, thanks to the court of Parma. The same fate befell the first wheels of what we now call Parmigiano Reggiano DOP. Emilia, in particular, thanks to the great political fragmentation, gave rise, since the 14th and 15th centuries, to a resurgence of high-quality traditional food products that have come down to us without undergoing great transformations. The traditional balsamic vinegars of Modena DOP and Reggio Emilia DOP reflect the ancient tradition of the dowry to be left to children by families. The number of barrels of balsamic vinegar and its longevity could make the difference between a common marriage and a noble one. The pork legs aged in terracotta and stone cellars were already at that time personal gifts from the Dukes of Parma to European monarchs. All this to say that the history of a people also passes through its table, and from the prestige of the tables, the rural economies of the territories have flourished.

Today, Emilia Romagna represents one of the most prestigious Italian places for the production of typical works of art. We have spoken about traditional DOP balsamic vinegars, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, and Culatello di Zibello DOP. We must mention Parma DOP, Coppa di Parma IGP, Coppa Piacentina DOP, Cotechino di Modena IGP, Zampone di Modena IGP, Salame Piacentino DOP... there are many traditional cured meats from Emilia that have been certified, a protection that is never sufficient against counterfeits worldwide.

But there is a cured meat from tradition, in this case, Romagna, that has regained vigor and recognition in recent years, the medieval Salama da Sugo IGP di Ferrara. A product that is consumed during the Christmas festivities but is also part of the Sunday culinary tradition of those from Ferrara. But what would our Italian tables be without Mortadella di Bologna IGP? Romagna is distinguished by the production of high-quality fruits and vegetables, lo Scalogno di Romagna DOP, the Emilia Romagna Pear IGP, the Peach and Nectarine of Romagna IGP.

Romagna rhymes with Piadina romagnola IGP, an ancestral, very simple, and popular dish, which is now recognized as an invaluable historical heritage for Romagna's local cuisine. The entire Apennine area that stretches from Parma towards the sea is important. The still-wild forests hide their diamonds under the leaves: the Fungo di Borgotaro IGP. The porcini mushrooms from these woods are considered among the best in Italy for their flavor and compactness.

Among cheeses, we cannot forget the Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano DOP, produced in Sogliano al Rubicone, where every year the cheese wheels are placed in ancient pits, real holes in the limestone rock and tuff of these hills. The opening of the pits has become, every year, an event that attracts many visitors from all over the world. The Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano DOP reaches levels of pleasantness and aromatic intensity that make it unique.

Finally, we cannot forget one of the most prestigious breeds of Italian meat. You can see them grazing among the Romagna hills and mountains, they are white and sumptuous. The Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale IGP and the Razza Romagnola in particular are excellent for ribeyes, Fiorentines, and knife-cut tartare.

Emilia is particularly linked to two grape varieties, Lambrusco and Trebbiano. Grapes that are the basis of the blend for the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Reggio Emilia DOP. Salamino di Santa Croce and Grasparossa di Castelvetro are the two typical varieties from Modena that represent the majority of Italian Lambrusco. Romagna, on the other hand, is linked to Sangiovese, a red wine that changes its character from Tuscany to the Malatesta lands, more direct and fruity with a sober elegance, excellent drinkability, and pleasantness. In short, a little like the Romagnoli people themselves.

All you have to do is open our treasure chest of typical Emilia Romagna products! Enjoy browsing and buon appetito!