Gourmet Mag: the Modena Issue: Italian food, recipes, traditions and lifestyle

Italian magazine with real food, traditions, and lifestyle. An indie publication made in Rome. Get your first issue, print or digital, now!

Hello, Italian food lovers, and welcome to the Modena Issue of the Gourmet Mag, a seasonal (4 issues per year) indie magazine made in Rome.
A journal about cooking living and exploring Italy.

As anticipated, the main topic of this issue is Modena, lovely tiny delicious Modena.
When I told an uncle of mine from Northern Italy I was exploring Modena cuisine he told me: "Do you know what people say about Modena? That when someone from Bologna wants to eat well, he goes to Modena". And that, my friends, sums up the goodness of this place.

Modena is worldwide famous for its traditional balsamic vinegar, the real, authentic, aged for at least 12 years, one. So after investing a little capital in a tiny bottle of it, I enjoyed testing recipes that exalted its flavour (turning out pork is balsamic's best friend).

After exploring Modena, it will be nearly Carnevale, so I shared with you some regional recipes for you to celebrate as an Italian: two sweet treats and polpette! Yes, there are special meatballs to be made during Carnival.

But winter is also a time to pamper yourself, contemplate beauty and learn new things, so I added a Winter Flowers Project, and a Corcos project… what's that? you may be wondering… A project about Vittorio Matteo Corcos, the painter of modern femininity, whose painting "Dreams" inspired much of this issue and a lot of my recent artsy life. The Belle Epoque painter who was able to read the souls of women, and reveal them in his portraits.

More winter cuddles will come from flaming hot minestrone soups. You thought there's only one minestrone soup recipe, right? I did so as well, but we were wrong! We'll take it easy for now, and we'll explore 3 recipes from North to South of the peninsula.

For a more healthy but delicious eating, and to celebrate the winter veggies, we will honor the king of them all: the already crowned (just put it upside down) Sir Artichoke!

Winter Sundays wouldn't be complete (and warm and cozy) without turning on the oven! So get ready to flour your hands (and nose and cheeks), and be sure you have a good book at hand, to read while waiting for your creations to rise.

Lastly, as I always do, I added a few little gems from my always fascinating, difficult to live but never boring, city, Rome: a secret spot out of touristic paths and, moreover, some wintry adventures.

Ready for a rich, mindful, tasty Winter? Follow me…

Remember:
Ingredients are usually for two servings but you can duplicate them as needed.
Measurements are in grams, cups and oz whenever possible!