Travel Alert: Leafy Alternatives in Bologna & A Hugo Spritz

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We Know, We Know

Anyone visiting Bologna gets hammered – in the best possible way – with mortadella, porticos, tortellini, and towers . Shopping is delightful  here, with dozens of individualistic boutiques  featuring combinations of clothing, jewelry, art, toys and yes – books!  And to be able to walk through many streets in inclement weather under the celebrated porticos and have a coffee or a cocktail is a pleasure. And by the way, my favorite mortadella  sandwich shop is Mo Mortadella Lab on Via De’ Monari. 

Treeless in Bologna

But you will miss seeing trees and urban plantings as they exist in London, for example. In fact, I felt horticulturally driven to purchase window boxes and plant them with flowers and herbs on our tiny balcony. My South Forty, as I like to call it,  sports a bay bush with chives and a struggling primrose (a lonely survivor from the winter)  along with very happy marjoram and  thyme plants on a flanking windowsill. On the other side, a mandevilla plant  – also called rocktrumpet – has  braved the winter and sports a few flowers. A peppery Italian variety of mint is valiantly struggling alongside it. On the right side is my other herb garden, with a lantana as a modest bug deterrent (it doesn’t mind drought and neglect). It protects my over-plucked basil plants, and in another planter I have miraculously thriving parsley, rosemary and sage. I am still scheming to see what else I can cram into this space without inadvertently killing off everything as they wage a mad struggle for water and light. 

Which puts me in mind of some joys of this city that have nothing to do with the Grassa, the Dotta and the Rossa. First of all, once you have found your favorite place for tagliatelle al ragu, know that Bologna sports some  really good fish restaurants amid its whirlpool of tortellini and salume. One we love is Sikelia on Riva di Reno – a street covering a major canal – part of it is going to be restored to its former aqueous glory. Another is Enoteca da Lucia which has moved to a new location. And there is another whose menu is bound by what is at the attached market that day.

Eat First, Walk Later

I strongly suggest a visit to the Mercato delle Erbe (more about that in another post) for a quick look at the fruit and vegetable stands, an outstanding cheese shop, a few butcher shops including one that specializes in horse meat, and other intriguing purveyors of foodstuffs. But especially try Banco 32, a sort of bare bones looking restaurant that features only seafood alongside a very long fish counter with covered seating outside. They serve a tapas-inspired menu at night, but at lunch it provides a more traditional selection of courses. That said, the plates offered are unusual and delicious – this is freshness personified. Portions are reasonably sized so you have room for a selection of simple but lush desserts. Banco 32 is the brainchild of three very different people: the chef, Lionel Joubaud hails from Brittany, France and clearly has a culinary curiosity that ventures nicely outside French borders. Paola Donati, born in Tuscany, has an architectural background but gravitated to running a farm-to-table restaurant. London-born Maurice Kavanaugh brought his front-of-house expertise to several Milanese eateries and, captivated by Italy, chose to stay.  If you want a taste of market cooking in an authentic environment,  you can do no better than this.

But back to trees, after you have enjoyed a meal with nary a tortellino in sight. The city government  has recently revamped their Parco Montagnola which has been a public park since the end of the17th century, and subject to modifications several times since then. You will see the detritus of a castle fortress upon which Montagnola was created.  There is a nursery school and a children’s  play area (the school is dedicated to the women partisans who fought against fascism in Italy).  There are a couple of nice bars  scattered among the trees, with snack foods and a small selection of aperitivi.  Montagnola sponsors  all sorts of events, from food truck assemblies to various musical performances so you might stumble across one and enjoy it for free.  Check out their Facebook page, as I believe that they have not built their new website yet. It is quite near the train station and a healthy walk from Mercato delle Erbe. Lesser individuals like myself might take a cab. 

If you are up for a healthier walk or a (preferable) cab ride from Mercato delle Erbe, you’ll enjoy a different park which is criss -crossed by walkways,  lined with stately chestnut trees and an artificial lake somewhat in the center.   Giardini Margarita was designed  in the manner of an English garden park and hosts a  number of events. The one that speaks to me is the Giardini & Terrazi, which is held for three days both in May and in September. It has over 200 exhibitors of flowering plants, herbs, vegetables, garden furniture and equipment, and even a canine cotillion! Mixed in are some stunning crafts from local artisans along with some clothing and accessory vendors. I missed some of the landscaping installations as I was too absorbed in the displays of rose plants for sale. There is no entrance fee, and there are  plenty of benches under the chestnut trees along the shady esplanade. I never realized that certain chestnut trees bear sprays of beautiful pink flowers in May.  You can purchase water, a snack or juice along your walk. You can picnic, ride a bike or just wander.  If you have had your fill of museums, palazzi and porticos, I can’t think of a better change of pace. 

A Walk In the Park Reward

In honor of the leafy green areas in a city better known for its unique architecture and international university,  I feel that you as a reader deserve this light and park-like aperitivo that has gained some momentum over the orange Aperol spritz.  Bartender Roland Gruber invented it  in Naturno, Alto Adige in 2005. It is light, minty rather than bitter, the perfect drink to celebrate a park. In honor of the Australian friend who introduced me to the Hugo Spritz, I chose the video tutorial by a personable Australian bartender below. You can use any elderflower liqueur or infusion.

Nancy Pollard

Kitchen Detail shares under the radar recipes, explores the art of cooking, the stories behind food, and the tools that bring it all together, while uncovering the social, political, and environmental truths that shape our culinary world.