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Buona lettura, your cookery writer
Monica
ps: Many new readers have subscribed to the newsletter. To know something more about me, here I have introduced myself.
Do you remember when I asked your opinion?
It was mid-July, and before ending to write Once Upon a Time (which you can read or re-read by clicking on the title), I launched a poll:
Via Emilia will be a special newsletter section dedicated to Emilia-Romagna, my region. I will write about food, history, art, lifestyle, and culture. With no regular cadence, it will be a surprise! What do you think about it?
The poll was unanimously in favor of Via Emilia. So, here we are.
Before something about Substack and my newsletter
A few things about Substack I love
I love that my Substack homepage is similar to a blog in that you can see all the past newsletters (at least the ones that aren't paywalled) and find them in one place.
Substack is a bit of a search engine, so if you would like, I invite you to discover other authors (use the "lens"). On my homepage, I suggest a few.
And it works like social networking. For instance, you can click on “the heart” to support my job (thanks to those who will do it). Also, you can leave a comment. And I encourage you to do it to let me know your opinion on the topic of the moment or to write questions.
To tell you what I love most about Substack, I use Nasha's words:
is the author of Burnt Toast and Cobblestone StreetsYou know what I love about Substack?
(…) Here we return to a place of substance, thoughtful conversation, reading solid writing on subjects. The antidote to scrolling mindlessly, and increasing grey matter in our brains.
That is my newsletter, and Tortellini&CO is the blog I have been writing since 2014 (although it is "only" since 2019 that it has become the hangar where I store memories, family recipes, and crumbs of history).
The main difference between the blog and the newsletter is that this space has a larger horizon. It is a kind of Fritto Misto a la Bolognese, a typical dish made with many ingredients: fried vegetables, meat, and even fruit.
Please, don't stop reading me!
I'm writing an editorial plan with historical anecdotes to pair with succulent recipes to make your table a welcoming place full of nuanced flavor. Via Emilia, too, I hope, will be a journey of fascinating discoveries.
Share my newsletter with someone you think will appreciate it or on your social. Thanks!
Via Emilia
The first issue is about farmers' markets in Bologna.
Local foods and markets are a way to embrace and discover a city and its area.
Do you agree?
Moreover, they are part of the culture of the place we have chosen to visit.
When I travel, I always look for local markets and even explore supermarkets (if and when they exist). I don't forget monuments and museums. I organize my time to savor a little of everything.
Three Bologna farmers markets I love
They are not the best or even the only ones. They are the ones I visit weekly.
Shopping at the market is a habit for my family.
It is a chance to get together and come home with something good.
Markets are inclusive places of meeting and discovery. Producers are happy to share tips, recipes, and their stories. Sometimes, little by little, sympathies and synergies are born. Like with Berbere, the smiling Dutch lady in the photo below.
Aldrovandi Square Farmers' Market
When: every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Piazza Ulisse Aldrovandi
No market: week of Ferragosto
Info
Berbere Christina left her country to live in the Apennines between Modena and Bologna, where she breeds sheep, has many chickens, and grows local varieties of mountain potatoes (including purple ones).
At the market, she brings goat cheese, eggs, and potatoes. And her beautiful smile, of course. We often say we hope to do something together, and I think it will happen. The grape juice needs time to become wine.
I love that market for the festive atmosphere. Before or after the shopping, someone stops by for a cappuccino or a spritz, someone for lunch.
The customers are residents of the area and, for some time, also many foreigners, either passing through or choosing to live here for a while.
This small market counts some hidden gems. In addition to Berbere's products, I advise you:
the stall where you can buy dried legumes and fruits. And, when in season, mushrooms and wild blueberries from the Apennines.
the flower man. More than a stall, he has a chair, a small table, and a few basins where he keeps natural fresh flowers and aromatics. He sells small, cheap bouquets and gives away the seeds.
Mercato della Terra di Bologna
When: every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Piazza Giosuè Carducci
No market: the first 3 Sundays in August
Info
That market takes place in Piazza Giosuè Carducci, where you can visit the historic house museum of the Italian poet, who taught Italian Literature at the University of Bologna, is also located.
Mercato della Terra, managed by Bologna Slow Food, hosts many initiatives.
Stop by the ice cream stall.
Mercato Ritrovato
When: every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m./ Wednesday from 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
In summer, the market closes on Saturday mornings and opens on Monday evenings. Location: Via Azzo Gardino 65 + Piazzetta Pier Paolo Pasolini
No market: the week of Ferragosto
Info
The Mercato Ritrovato is a farmers' market held at the Cineteca di Bologna, an iconic location in the city. You'll find local and seasonal produce.
You can stop by for an aperitif or to eat and, in addition, participate in kitchen labs.