Day 20: 6 Pastas for Dinner...and Culatello of course...

The Day involved whatever we could do in the local area awaiting dinner time..and the beloved meal.  We chose to drive to Mantova, for Internet access, and we were able to save a few euros, which Steve B would have loved. How?, when we entered the Internet Cafe, Jim found out that a local Hotel "leaked" their free wifi access.  So we just sat in the cafe, and snagged some waves...

Lunch in Mantova was a blessing, the prosciutto and melon was even better because of the air conditioned dining room

Notice the linen table cloth...we were really upscaling it today.
Then the pizza

And I enjoyed the eggplant parmigiana...only 7 euros...

Okay...enough of the day...let's get right to dinner...

A Great appetizer as Miriam again agreed to make the Torta Fritta to go with our culatello;

Peggy was convinced that this one was the 'perfect bite":

Then came 6, that's right, 6 pasta dishes...why?  because this is the best pasta you can get, our wives specialize in amazing pasta, Miriam has personally been hand making this stuff since 1897, and when you eat pasta in the village where it's been made for over 112 years, you actually lose weight, since the carbos immediately turn into memories.  I made these photos extra large so you can dive in with us:
#1)  Ravioli with Zucca (pumpkin) and grated parmiggiano-reggiano

#2)Tagliatelli with ragu/meat sauce

#3) Fettucini with local fresh green peas...

#4) Linguini with crisped up Culatello

#5) Tortellini in Brodo...in soup...the best soup...like matzo ball soup...and hot hot hot soup...my favorite:

#6)  Sweet cake wrapped around Elbow macaroni with other "stuff"...my least favorite...

Dessert was NOT in the cards..too much carbo-less pasta...so we begged Lucca to join us:

We didn't think we could enjoy the grappa he made, and we were right...at least for the first sip... Sips 2 and 3 actually helped digest every bite of pasta...for sure...

Sip 3 was the last :)))
It was a pastalicious meal...and the culatello stood up to all the hype.  Lord willing, we'll be back and partake again...since the US will never certify this food for importation...something about our FDA.  Caves, mold, raw pork sitting around for 2 years.  what's their problem???

Tomorrow a great reminder of the joy of travelling with Jim and Christine as we have a sorrowful departure from the Jordan's...and then on to our last 8 days in Cinque Terre and then the town of Alba in Piemonte.
Until then, Ciao Bella!!!