We are proudly promoting a stay in Villa Loris not only for the beauty of the house and the valuable original pieces of art of its furniture; not only for the landscapes and the historic heritage of the surroundings but also because it is located in the core of an area where gastronomy has a cultural and economic relevance for the whole Italy and a full immersion in a gastronomic dimension might be a strong point of your holidays here! See some of the variety of local foods and specialties you can find in our restaurants or markets.

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (Aceto Balsamico di Modena)
An extremely important product in the culinary culture of Modena is its famous Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (Aceto Balsamico di Modena), a DOC product. The label “Controlled designation of origin" (DOC) is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines (vini) . Various cheese types (formaggi) are often protected by the designation of origin (DOP - Denominazione di Origine Protetta). The Aceto Balsamico is obtained by fermentation of cooked grape must; grape must derives from grapes traditionally grown in the province of Modena (mostly Lambrusco and Trebbiano variety). An extremely long aging process involves the preparation of the Aceto Balsamico. As first the must is boiled for several hours until it is reduced by 50%; then the obtained mash, is transferred in vats of decreasing size, made of different woods as each timber gives the product its characteristic aroma. The main peculiarity of this vinegar is that you can really use it for exalting and pointing out flavours of a vast choice of foods. Try the easy combination of some drops of Aceto Balsamico and Parmiggiano Reggiano or Ice Cream or strawberries. Of course some drops of Aceto Balsamico exalt any type of roasted meat or vegetable directly on your table.
Consorzio Produttori Antiche Acetaie
Acetaia Sereni

Products made of Pork Meat
Since ancient times the territory of Modena and Bologna has based its food production on pork and specialized on the different varieties of products obtained with this kind of meat. The pork, here, is also a fact of life. The pork was slaughtered in the farmyards of the farmhouses in a sort of pagan celebration lasting even a couple of days. Traditionally every part of the animal was involved in a particular preparation. Still nowadays it is very difficult to sit on an Emilian table without sampling at least one type of meal made of pork meat. You can sample the “Ciccioli” (fat greaves), the “Pesto”, a mixture of pork fat and fine herbs, the essential dressing for “Borlenghi”, “Tigelle” and “Crescentine”.

Cotechino and Zampone
Cotechino is a big fresh sausage made from pork, fatback, and pork rind. Traditionally it dates back to early XVI century, when the army of pope Giulio II° besieged the town of Mirandola, so that its inhabitants were forced to find a way to preserve meat. Zampone of Modena is a closely related specialty where the sausage is made in hollowed out pork’s trotter. It is traditionally served with mashed potatoes or lentils.

Prosciutto crudo
Among these valleys, it is very important the production of Prosciutto crudo, here named in its particular preparation "Prosciutto di Modena” (DOP). In particular, its local area of production is around Samone, a pretty medieval village in the municipality of Guiglia.
Consorzio del Prosciutto di Modena

Tortellini
This is the Country of Tortellini. Who does ignore the existence of tortellini in the world? Bologna and Modena compete the primacy of the origins of this specialty and, in each town, there are many tales describing this… mythic event. The Modenese version says that this stuffed pasta was invented by a local cook who once dreamed of Venus, rising from the waves of the sea, and saw her perfect belly. He then woke up and ran into the kitchen to recreate that divine belly with pasta. Tortellini is a product protected by the collective trademark of the Chamber of Commerce, which guarantees the best quality and the most imposing ancient traditions, for example, the obligation to use in the mixture only Parmigiano Reggiano aged 18 months, mortadella IGP, no breadcrumbs etc…. The mixture of the tortellini is a cultural heritage that every family hands down from generation to generation.
Tortellini.it

Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a generous and genuine wine typical of these zones. The long winemaking history of this wine rises back to Etruscan periods and then to Roman periods when it was called Vitis labrusca (a wild vine). In the 19th century Lambrusco became predominant in the area, assuming a specific character thanks to its natural qualities and to human efforts and hard work of local peasants. In the province of Modena these are the most famous varieties: Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro and Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce. Try all… but with moderation.
Il Vino Lambrusco
Consortium for the Historic Mark of Modenese Lambrusco