In 2000 the Rimini Dixieland Jazz Band organized a traditional jazz-concert at the end of the summer-season: this event is considered the establishment of the International Traditional and Swing Jazz Festival, the event that takes  place every year in Rimini.

Many of the finest bands and musicians have taken part at this festival.
The big stage, placed in the square dedicated at Federico Fellini, will house the ninth edition of the Rimini Jazz International Festival.

Rimini Jazz 2009 will take place from the 23rd to the 27th of June, with big names of the traditional Jazz and Swing as actors coming from Italy, USA and the Netherlands.
Big sized orchestras, small Jazz combos, All-Star line-ups and Marching Band in the true tradition of New Orleans, ready to start the coming summer season events of the Romagna shore.

The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles) is an open-road endurance race that has been taking place in Italy since 1927.
Since 1977 the name was revived as the Mille Miglia Storica, a parade for pre-1957 cars that takes several days.

Every May, Brescia becomes the meeting place for the rich, famous and passionate as they prepare to do battle over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Italian roads.

This edition of the race will start on May 14th in Brescia, will pass by Florence, Siena, Rome, Ferrara, San Marino and many other cities, coming back in Brescia in few days.

The history of the Mille Miglia is traced in all its glory at the Mille Miglia Museum in Brescia. This collection is a must for all amateurs of the automobile and its history and includes a fine collection of books and photographic works.

The Mille Miglia has the reputation of being the “the most beautiful road race in the world”, don’t miss it!

Info taken from wikipedia.

Zampone is stuffed pig’s trotter. The foot and shin are boned and stuffed with ground pork snout and other ingredients.

Zampone is traditionally eaten in Modena on New Year’s Eve. Carol Field tells us in her book Celebrating Italy that the lentils represent money and the sausage stuffing the container that will hold it. Pork is one of the pillars of Emilian cuisine and all kinds of pork products are made there.

In Zibello, culatello, a cured pork rump, is made, while Bologna offers its famous mortadella, and Langhirano makes a cured ham. The other pillars of the cuisine are pasta, especially tortellini, and rich bodied, full-flavored sauces.

The origin of zampone is often told as in the following apocrypha: During Pope Julius II’s siege of Mirandola in the winter of 1511, the town’s people were on the point of starvation and began to use every last piece of a slaughtered pig and invented zampone. Others are not so sure and suggest its invention in the eighteenth century, or nineteenth century, by a charcutier from Modena.

Luckily, zampone is made around Christmas in the U.S. and sold in Italian markets which is where you should look first. If that fails one company that makes an excellent zampone is sold at http://www.luigismailorder.com/ They freeze very well and can be made later.

Green lentils can be found in Indian markets. Brown lentils will do fine. Commercially packaged lentils today rarely need soaking. Less than an hour of cooking should do it. Some Emilians make a salsa verde, with walnuts, garlic, and lots of parsley, to accompany zampone.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Preparation Time: 5 hours in all

One     3 1/2-pound zampone

2     cups dried green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

2     quarts water

2     medium-size onions, peeled, 1 left whole and 1 finely chopped

3     celery stalks, 2 cut in half and 1 finely chopped

Salt to taste

3     tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2     ounces prosciutto fat, chopped

1. Prick the zampone all over with a couple of corncob holders or toothpicks, and wrap tightly in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Tie off with kitchen twine. Place the zampone in a large pot or casserole on its side and cover by 4 inches of cold water. Bring the water to a boil slowly, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, then simmer another 4 hours (or about 1 hour per pound of zampone, which run anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds). Add boiling water as needed to keep the zampone covered.

2. Meanwhile, place the lentils in a casserole with the 2 quarts water, the whole onion, celery stalk halves, and salt. Turn the heat to medium-high and when it begins to bubble, cook for 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the age of the lentils. Taste occasionally, and turn the heat off and drain the lentils when they are between al dente and tender and set aside. Discard the onion and celery.

3. In a medium-size saucepan, heat the olive oil with the prosciutto fat over medium heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Add the chopped onion and chopped celery and cook until golden, about 8 minutes, stirring.

4. Add the lentils to the sautéed onion and prosciutto fat along with 1 1/2 cups water from the cooking zampone. Simmer the lentils until the water is absorbed. If you have accidently overcooked the lentils so they are already soft, do not pour in the water, simply stir the lentils until well combined.

5. Arrange the lentils on a platter. Remove, drain, and untie the zampone. Cut it into slices as thick as a finger and arrange on top of the lentils, slightly overlapping them.

Article taken from Clifford A Wright.

Mutina splendidissima, that’s how Cicero called Modena in the 44 bC.

Modena is placed in Emilia Romagna. It was a possesion of Countess Matilda of Tuscany and, later, of the Este family, that governed for centuries. One of the most known buildings of the city is, in fact, the Ducal palace of Este family.

Modena has long cooking and sporting traditions. In regard to sport, it excels in motor racing being the birthplace of many automonile manufacturers: I just have to name Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini.

In regard to food, Modena is well known for its production of balsamic vinegar.
If you want to visit Modena you have to taste its typical cooking, that’s quite unique.
I can advice a restaurant: it’s called Mofo (MOdena Food) and offers typical recipes revisited in a modern way.

Mofo is not to be missed!

Italian version.

Cento is a city in Emilia Romagna and its name referes to the centuriation of the Po Valley.

I found these info about Cento’s Carnival on blog dolce vita.
The Carnival of Cento, near Ferrara, has a long tradition; back in the Renaissance it even drew the attention and admiration of such a great painter as Guercino who painted the Berlingaccio, the famous local mask, in one of his magnificent frescoes at Palazzo Comunale where the city council, every year, used to host a great party to celebrate the Carnival, with wine flowing freely and people going wild .

It’s true that the Carnival of Cento (twinned with the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro since 1993) has over the years grown wilder and wilder and now many see it as the most transgressive in Europe.

If you want to discover the natural parks of Italy and, at the same moment, have fun during the night, you’ve got to go in Emilia-Romagna.
The crazy atmosphere of Rimini and Riccione nightlife, with discos and pubs open ‘til late, are in a soft contrast with the many natural attractions that cover the surrounding territory, like, to make an example, the Parco del Delta del Po, the place where the longest Italian river ends into the sea.

It includes the mouths of some other rivers, that form a natural interest zone filled up with protected wildlife.

The mouth of the river Bevano, the Saltmine of Cervia, the Pinewood of San Vitale: these are only a few of the places to visit in the environs of Ravenna, besides the historical monuments heritage of the Byzantine past.

Finding an accommodation in such a touristic zone it’s not difficult, but it would be better to sleep in a place immerged in the nature that allows to live every side of the holiday in an easy way.

La Casina Farmhouse is a country house with three apartments and an agricamping with 15 places for tents and caravans, placed in the very centre of the natural area around Ravenna.
Besides horse and bike rides and strolls in the wood or on the beach, you can also taste the flavours of the earth: the farm has a little shop where you can buy fruit, vegetables, honey, marmalades cultivates directly from the owners.
So you can have a relaxing day through uncontaminated sites and wild animals and a crazy night in Riccione most exclusive discos: could you ask more?

Italian version.

How to plan a week end in a foreign Country?
You have to choose the destination, plan the activities and itineraries and, above all, come to an agreement with all of your friends and their preferences…

If you like nature you should try out this bed and breakfast in Emilia Romagna, that is part of an organically-operated farm complex.
The B&B Dei Paduli is situated in a 19th-century farm house that was recently remodeled in compliance with innovative ecological construction principles.

If you like art and culture, from there you would visit the many cultural points of interest on the Po Plain, and in the stretch of Apennines running between Reggio and Modena, including the residences of the region’s ruling noble families.

Moreover, if you like cars, you could have a tour of the Ferrari Gallery in nearby Maranello.

Your week end is planned in less than no time!

Italian version.

Sometimes happens: you visit a place, you taste local specialties, and the flavour remains in your heart, like Proust’s “madeleines”.
It’s not easy to replicate these sensations with the low quality imitations of Italian products you find around the world: if you want your friends and relatives to taste the same food you tried in Italy in summer holidays, buying them a fly ticket for Rome or Florence seems to be the only way.

But it’s not always true, and maybe this wine shop I found in the net can solve the problem to find an unusual Christmas gift for a hard to please friend: Enoteca Ducale is a family run wine shop in the very centre of Modena, with a large selection of Emilia Romagna typical products like the famous Modena’s vinegar, ham or Parmigiano cheese.

The balsamic Modena’s vinegar is made by grape must cooked with direct flame and preserved in wood barrels, and you can use it on cheese, salads, meat or fish and even on cakes: it has an unforgettable taste, soft and sweet.

Enoteca Ducale can select a range of typical products from Modena and prepare you a gift pack (and send it wherever you want) with vinegar and cheese, but also with wines like Lambrusco, Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, liquors, jams and hand made chocolate.

Everything is so tasty that you’ll book a holiday in Modena the next time you’ll come in Italy!

Italian version.

Last week end I went on holiday with my boyfriend. We decided to go in Emilia Romagna, an Italian region that we haven’t ever visited a lot. We’d like to pass a few day in a “gourmet vacancy” in this places.

So we went to Reggio Emilia just for two days for trying the famous and tasty local cuisine and to enjoy the marvellous and flat territory all around. We went for a walk in the neighbouring area of the province and found out a special place to eat: La casa di nonna Pia!

It’s a typical small restaurant in Bibbiano, in the hinterland of Reggio Emila, situated in the town where the famous parmesan was born.

We ate so much! All dishes was prepared with fresh ingredients and we could taste the real home made pasta and the traditional local dishes of each kind! In fact the menu offers a large variety of ham and cheese typical of the near towns, all served with balsamic vinegar sauce PDO and united with a tasty typical local wine, like Lambrusco… it seemed to be in paradise!

A young place and young people serving and preparing the dishes, a warm and receiving hospitality. One of the girl who works there told us that they organize also some particular events in the evening, like blues music festival or something similar.
For example, she explained us that for Xmas they are going to organize a Christmas Market with all the typical producst and home made object of the Emilian Region.

La casa di nonna Pia is the ideal place if you want to have a good time with your friends, in fact we are certainly going a second time with ours!!!

Italian version

For a relaxing and pleasant holiday in Bologna, Casa Tovo B&B is a marvellous accommodation very near the city but situated in the ancient Colonial Villages on the hill.

The Casa Tovo B&B offers to its guests many comforts, such as a bowling room, a gymnasium a pool and a relax area.

Thanks to the beautiful project of the Architect Cardin Fontana a bio-technological building has been realized and the result is a luxury Bed & Breakfast with a great range of facilities. There is even a heliport.

Rooms are comfortable and furnished with period furniture in order to create a particular atmosphere and to offer to their guest a very relaxing experience.
A very tasteful breakfast is served every morning with a huge variety of foods and drinks.
A marvellous stay in the countryside very close to Bologna in B&B Casa Tovo.

Italian version.