03 Jun Confessions from Bologna
1. No, my Bologna does not have a first name
2. I think I’m going to need a 12 step program for mascarpone cheese when we get back to the U.S.
3. I ate the whole chicken.. the whole thing.
4. I wanted to order Tagliatelle e ragu for every meal… but seriously, I contemplated it every meal.
5. I had an intimate experience with my dinner tonight.
Number five might not make sense to the people who have never splurged on a four course meal in Bologna, Italy. I can’t even put in words my feelings on my meal this evening. Mouthwatering and delectable don’t even begin to describe it.
For our antipasti course, Sam and I shared “Antipasti Bologna” which was Bologna ham and chunks of fresh parmesan cheese drizzled with Balsamic vinegar. I was nervous about the Bologna ham because some of the meats here were not my favorite experiences, but this ham was the perfect match for parmesan cheese and the balsamico encouraged both of them to melt in my mouth. It was the perfect start to our meal.
I fell to my temptations for tagliatelle in traditional Bolognese ragout for my Primi course. This was the third time I’ve had this since we’ve been in Bologna and I wouldn’t trade any of them for something else. It is by far my favorite Italian dish, well besides mascarpone cheese, but I’ll explain that later.
The Secondi course came as a huge surprise when he set the plate down in front of me. When I ordered roasted chicken I was expecting a chicken breast…not a whole small chicken. But, I dove in and ate every delectable bite of that bird.
My stomach was on the verge of exhaustion when dessert came around but, we made the decision to eat four courses and I was not about to give up on that pact. If you hadn’t noticed, I have a slight obsession with mascarpone cheese for dessert. I believe a little mascarpone cheese at every meal could stop war and fighting and bring on world peace. So, of course I chose the chocolate torte with mascarpone cheese sauce as my dessert. It was like a brownie covered and surrounded by a sauce made from angels all topped with powered sugar.
Before this meal, if someone would have said, “I had an intimate experience with my food,” I would have thought them crazy, but I totally understand now. Food is art here in Italy and especially in Bologna. It is not supposed to be devoured without breathing in between bites (as we Americans tend to do). It is about enjoying every bite and experiencing the flavors of every dish in comparison to the last. A meal is an experience that is different for every person. Every bite brings out a new flavor from one person to the next and that is the beauty of food. I will never eat a meal the same way again after tonight. I will indulge in every bite of my boring American food and pretend it is covered in mascarpone cheese.
