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Between land and water
The paramount feature of the completely flat landscape of the province of Ferrara is water: to the north is the river Po, to the south the river Reno, to the east the Adriatic Sea and in between a large fertile plain, once nearly completely submerged.
To the west is the land that emerged in an ancient era and, to the east, the new lands reclaimed in more recent times.
The roads that criss-cross the province run alongside wetlands, cultivated fields, rivers, waterways and navigable canals. Many are the hydraulic works and pumps that recall the endless struggle to reclaim the land from the water.
And then again, farm houses, stately villas, fortresses and castles, all of which bear the mark of the Estense family, the lords of Ferrara.
Traditional cooking from Ferrara draws inspiration from this outstanding combination of rivers and sea. Ancient traditions influence local cooking, featuring outstanding tastes not to be missed.
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...delight the palate
Ferrara cuisine is a great combination of noble and popular culinary customs. In this city, even bread is special, unmistakable in its shape and known as the "coppia ferrarese". It is protected by the IGP status.
Highlights of Ferrara cuisine are eels, cooked in many different ways (visitors should make a point of buying at least one pack of marinated eels), and salama da sugo, a special dressed-pork product of Renaissance origin.
Among the fresh pastas are cappellacci, tortelli di zucca and pasticcio di maccheroni; other stars in the kitchen are mussels, clams, oysters and frogs. These tasty traditional dishes are best accompanied by the "vini delle sabbie" (sand wines), the DOC wines of Bosco Eliceo.
The province also produces an abundance of vegetable and fruit including the asparagus of Mesola, the garlic of Voghiera, pears, rice and pumpkins, the strawberries and water melons of Ferrara, which are the best in the world. To end the meal, try pampepato, mandorlini del ponte, topino of Comacchio and the ricciolina or tagliatelle cake.
...delight the eye
An important sector is that of arts and crafts – visitors should never go home without at least one piece of Ferrara pottery. Pottery working originated at the d'Este court, between the 15th and 16th centuries and is distinguished by the particular engravings and the use of just a few basic colours.
Another typical example of local craftsmanship is terracotta: whistles and perfume burners are collectors' items. Very widespread is the working of paviera, a spontaneous marsh reed used to make rugs, baskets and furniture. Deserving of special mention are the "stampi" meaning the decoys once used for hunting and now much sought-after objets d'art, which reproduce the shapes and colours of the ducks and other water fowl of the Delta. |
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