Discovering new cuisines,
a local Bolognese gem, and revealing my go-to drink order
Dear readers,
I hope you’ve had a great week and you’re enjoying a restful Sunday. I’ve had a week full of classes and assignments, accompanied by some great food. In this week’s newsletter, I wanted to share with you my experience of trying new cuisines, a new discovery in Bologna and my go-to drink order.
Happy reading!
Cari Saluti,
Emilia in Bologna
1. Exploring New Cuisines
The first week of my MBA’s second-term started with a course titled Food Culture and Sustainable Tourism. The course covered national cuisines, food systems, value chains, place-based labels and food’s role in sustainable tourism. Fabio Parasecoli was an excellent professor, who facilitated discussion in our group and taught even the theoretical part with great gusto. I loved every minute of the 20 hour course and it has evoked a lot of thoughts around national cuisines and what a significant role food has to play in tourism (also from a research-based approach).
It’s been a great pleasure learning about new cuisines and foods just from listening to people from different parts of the world tell which foods and wines make their country’s cuisine. We have had a lot of fantastic Italian foods during the past three months but sometimes it’s good to explore some variation. Imagine my delight when I got to enjoy two new cuisines this weekend cooked by dear friends and enjoyed in great company.
On Friday we enjoyed an Iranian dinner, which started with Iranian nuts and sweets, followed by a beef stew, saffron rice, mint yogurt, diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and potato tahdig. Everything tasted delicious and was accompanied by, as we learned, traditional Iranian “commands” to please have some more food.
Saturday night we had traditional Columbian Arepas, which I hadn’t even heard of before meeting our Columbian friend. Arepas are made with corn meal into small round breads, which are then cooked and filled. We enjoyed our arepas with a chicken-avocado salad and cold beer. As an appetizer we had a shrimp cocktail which apparently is a traditional dish to enjoy by the beach. Both meals were delicious and most importantly opened a window to a new culture. It’s fascinating how a national cuisine can convey a country’s culture, history and heritage. I highly recommend trying new cuisines and diving into new (food) cultures wherever you are in the world.
2. A gem in the middle of Bologna: La Confraternita Dell’Uva
For my readers in Bologna and those visiting the city, I want to share a new local discovery. La Confraternita Dell’Uva is a bookshop, café and bar located on Via Cartoleria 20. It’s a small shop quite near the center where you can browse and buy books, drink coffee or enjoy a drink. La Confraternita Dell’Uva translates to The Brotherhood of the Grape which originates from writer John Fante’s novel. They have a selection of independent and non-independent publishers, varying from children’s books to fiction and non-fiction. They host events such as concerts and presentations, breakfast, brunch, aperitivi, and in the warmer months the events are hosted in their courtyard. In addition to books they have a curated selection of wines, craft beers, olive oils and jams.
We tried to work on a group project there on a Tuesday evening but unfortunately it was full, so if you’re more than one, I’d suggest you make a reservation. The best part? The smell of new books lingering in the air. It’s an excellent study environment or a place to go for a coffee and books or a glass of wine. Check their homepage here and Instagram here.
3. My go-to drink order for Aperitivo
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