October 16, 2016

I usually don't write about food, but I just can't help it. For many years, until she passed away, I worked with my business partner's mother, Ilse Bernett, who had spent a lifetime visiting Italy, first studying and then on book buying trips. Whenever I'd come here on business she'd wax poetic about the food in Bologna. But the few times I had the opportunity to visit the city it was for one overnight and I'd just grab a quick bite. But this time, Terry and I have had a more leisurely stay and we've been able to check out three restaurants near our hotel. Two of the meals have been among the most memorable of my life, and I've been thinking of Ilse.

Tonight we stumbled into a local joint and the proprietor, who has spent considerable time in America, engaged with us, made recommendations, and although he was rail thin, he was clearly in love with his food. After a couple of good mixed salads, we entered heaven. Tortoloni stuffed with ricotta, butter and herbs in a light subtle brothy sauce, and very thin ravioli filled with just a touch of cheese in a porcini mushroom sauce. We didn't want it to end, but inevitably it did. So we had to have dessert. He recommended some sort of rice cake, a local specialty, but we ordered a chocolate cake, another specialty. He brought them both. Terry savored them with cappucino, and I with a few sips of espresso. Of course we were both pretty tipsy on the house wine by then, but somehow we made it back to the hotel!

Today's walk was unique. It was a steep uphill climb, entirely covered with porticos, from downtown Bologna to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca. You walk under 666 arches, uniformly colored in orange though in various stages of decay, on the way up the hill to the sanctuary. On Saturday the way was very crowded with walkers, costumed figures, soccer teams, exercisers, and tourists. We made it up to arch number 506 but we decided not to push ourselves too hard and decided to turn around. I was constantly distracted by the patterns of wear and graffiti on the walls, just sumptuous, and I just had to stop every minute or two to take photos.