Gastro-Italy

Overwhelming requests to update.....
Ok ok.....

Blogging adds more stress to the already-so-busy-phd-student's-life. As if I don't have enough to do. I have not watch today's daily dose of youtube yet, have not written up my quarterly report which was due last fri for submission, have not checked email, have not eaten supper.... grrr....

Anyway for those that didn't know, I escaped the so-busy life for 5 days in May. Booked on the Lufthansa promo air tix to Milan for 49 pounds return from Heathrow. Beat that! Obviously I didn't want to go to Milan. I didn't have a good impression of that drab and dull and rude city when I visited Lynn few years back. So I went onto google map and checked what's around Milan. Just south-east was Parma. Ok Parma ham: tick. Slightly more SE of Parma is Modena. Ok balsamic vinegar: tick. On the same straight line is Bologna: WAAAA bolognese sauce and lasagna. Set. Let's go on a gastronomic hunt!

Yingru opening the trip with a double-scoop gelato in Milan


Excellent trattoria in Bologna. On my plate, the very traditional handmade tortellini in broth (tortellini brodo). Just let the flavour of the parma ham fillings immersed in the broth do the talking. YUM. Yingru's having asparagus risotto instead.

Another much-recommended trattoria in Parma called Sorelle Picchi that is actually a salumeria. Booking necessary! Yingru and porcini gnocchi (yummiest gnocchi i've ever tried) and me with culatello (most prized cut of the parma ham made from the pork loin) and porcini homemade tagliatelle. Can't resist the ham!!!!!


Our beautiful Nh Hotel in Bologna....


Our mad gelato diet.... > 3 scoops everyday....


What is Italy without coffee?!?!?!


The local produce. Freshness guaranteed.




As if still not enough of Italy, like a Singaporean, we must always visit supermarkets and then da bao more home....

Oh not to mention, I even managed to bring home almost 1/2 kilo of superior parma ham, 1/2 kilo of parmigiano reggiano cheese (parmasan) and some fresh homemade tortellini which I immediately cooked the next day, in broth of course! Only missing out on the tomatoes which I thought was silly to bring home since London Whole Foods has like 100 variants of tomatoes already....