Pasta all'Anatra

Duck somehow always reminds me of Tuscany and for those who've been there, I'm certain we would all agree on one thing - the excellent cuisine. One of my husband's favorites is pasta with duck ragu and it has become quite an endeavor on his part to try anything all'Anatra if it's mentioned among the first courses. His only complaint is that the duck is minced so finely that it loses a few points on visual appeal. I don't mind obliging his preference for the meat to be shredded apart since it really takes only a little extra effort.

Vacuum-packed duck pieces are also sold separately in the market, and I usually prefer the thigh and leg sections for making sauces. On the days when I feel like making a big batch of duck ragu, I throw open all of the balcony doors to allow the aroma a means of escape. Not that I want to drive the neighbors crazy with hunger, but if I keep the doors shut, the smell of duck sauce permeates the apartment for several days!

Pasta with duck ragu - serves 4
Olive oil for sautéing
300 g (10-12 oz.) white or dark duck meat
1/3 cup minced celery
1/3 cup grated carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
2 large sage leaves
1/2 cup dry white cooking wine
1 can (14-15 oz.) whole stewed tomatoes with juices, chopped
2 tablespoons minced italian parsley
salt and pepper

Freshly cooked noodle pasta (your choice) to serve 4
Freshly grated parmigiano

1. In a large enough saucepan, gently sauté the celery, carrot, onions, and sage in a bit of olive oil until soft. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Raise the heat of the saucepan and add the duck section; brown on all sides.

2. Return the vegetables to the saucepan along with the duck and add the wine. Simmer until reduced then add the chopped tomatoes and its liquid, and the parsley. Cover and continue to cook over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce has thickened a bit. If it thickens too much, dilute with water or chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and remove the duck separately aside to cool.

3. When the duck is cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the bone and shred; return the meat to the sauce. At this point, you can divvy up into portions and freeze for future meals or reheat and serve with freshly cooked pasta and parmigiano on the side.

Trattoria da Vasco e Giulia

I believe this is the first Slow Food-listed trattoria we've been to twice in such a short period of time... and that should say a lot considering what we came here for — EELS. I mentioned it in Weekend in Comacchio, and Da VASCO e GIULIA resembles the type of trattoria where you'd imagine to be in when in Italia. Courteous service, intimately cozy dining rooms, quaint checkered tablecloths, and a staightforward menu are only part of it. First plates were simply delicious - and generous. The cooking blends sauces, seafood, and freshly cooked pasta for a genuinely homey flavor. Talk about eating a bowl of pasta! My dad-in-law would've been ecstatic. Orders of Garganelli con Canocchie (note*) and Maccheroncini con ragu done their way had me worrying that I wouldn't be able to get through a second plate of marinated eel, as the real star of the show is Anguilla. Freshwater eels are a true delicacy here, a definite MUST if you're ever in Comacchio, and although there are other seafood plates to deliberate over, I'd say to just go for the eels if you've never tried them. Listed in order of preference:
• Risotto d'anguilla (surprisingly rich, due to the eel's fatty properties)
• Anguilla marinata (grilled then marinated in vinegar and herbs)
• Brodetto d'anguilla a becco d'asino (see below*)
• Anguilla ai ferri (cooked over an open fire or grilled)

The wine list is very modest, but I would suggest trying the Fortana red produced in this area. A dry, slightly sparkling wine that reminds me of Lambrusco, it goes well with the rich flavor of eel.

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*Garganelli and canocchie: I already figured that garganelli was a type of pasta but I learned that canocchie is the mantis shrimp commonly found in Adriatic waters. A bech d'aesen indicates something made in a hurry. The recipe is too easy:  Eels, sliced onions, tomato sauce, and vinegar all stewed together, then served with grilled polenta. The phrase literally translates to 'beak of a donkey'(??) and this one still has me baffled. My husband gladly assisted with the supposed explanation and I offer this translation with a wink and a heehaw.

In the good old days... Men that illegally fished for eels would make a brodetto or fish stew right on the spot (most likely made from the eel head so as to profit from the precious flesh). Their donkey meanwhile, would watch with its mouth projected forward, like a beak... in the hopes of receiving something to eat.

Trattoria da Vasco e Giulia — Comacchio centro
via Muratori, 21
Tel. 0533 81252
No credit cards/Reservations recommended

Weekend in Comacchio

Comacchio revisited — it's been only a month since we last spent a long holiday weekend in the area of the Po Delta, but the promise of sighting fenicotteri (flamingos) and other migratory bird species in this area of Emilia-Romagna lured us to further explore the nearby towns of Argenta, Mesola, and the fishing village of Comacchio. The primary goal of this second visit was to get a better look at the flamingos we had seen on a previous trip during the Easter holidays — this time around the weather was much more agreeable, but as it so happened, expecting the migrant bird community to remain in the SAME EXACT SPOT is like asking Mother Nature to cater to vacation plans in unpredictable spring weather! When we were here last month, it was rain, rain, rain, with dull gray skies, but by stroke of luck we spotted a resting flock of flamingos while hiking the path toward Salina di Comacchio from Stazione da pesca Foce. Anyhow, pink flamingos aside, there was more to discover in this less publicized part of Italy, and it had nothing to do with feathered friends.


I tweaked this photo of the Trepponti Bridge to purposely achieve an old world feel, yet this modest fishing village subtly reminds you of a famed city well-known for its gondolas, St. Mark's Square, and Carnevale. But unlike Venezia's confusing web of watery canals, old Comacchio is easily navigable on foot: the central town is small and encompasses a handful of historical buildings and museums, and despite its humble appearance, Comacchio is famous for one item in particular — Anguilla (eel). To say that I sampled eel dishes is an understatement. One does not travel here only to soak up the ambience, so we let go of any inhibitions and treated our tastebuds to traditional Comacchiese cooking that were all based on anguilla!

Exquisite delicacies of Comacchio
The only time I've eaten eel was as a teriyaki-flavored topping on sushi; I believe it goes by the name unagi. After doing some research on how to cook anguilla italian-style, I've come to the conclusion that there are many methods to preparing eel although a few italian sites exaggerate this amount as being in the thousands. Nevertheless, the one trattoria that we dined at for two nights successively introduced us to tasty and delicious fare such as:
Anguilla marinata (marinated eel)
Risotto d'anguilla (a surprisingly rich risotto with eel)
Anguilla ai ferri (grilled eel)
Anguilla in brodetto (eel with onions, tomato sauce, and vinegar)

Must do's in Comacchio
The visitor information office gives a map outlining the main historical attractions but neglects to point out the one place that demonstrates the essense of Comacchio — the Manifattura dei Marinati is a museum in progress dedicated to the cultural history of eel-fishing and the laborious manufacturing process. It is located at the far end of via Mazzini, within a side entrance off of the Loggia of the Cappuchins. The disadvantage is that english translations were not yet available.

As for bringing a taste of Comacchio back home with you, anguilla is the obvious item. There is a tiny shop on via Pescheria that is stocked floor-to-ceiling with pastas, wine, cookies, and preserved eel products. But a friendly word of warning: the proprietor(s) are several steps behind on salesmanship and may begrudgingly help you with a "What do you want?" — In italian, "Cosa volete?" — Of course this makes no difference if you can't understand impolite italian but try to resist the urge to snap photos and restrain from fingering the merchandise if you don't intend to buy it. I'm not kidding, La Bottega di Comacchio somehow makes one feel as if you're intruding... I guess you could call them eel-mannered!? :-P

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Pertinent info: Comacchio is located south of Venice and east of Ferrara. The Sagra dell'Anguilla or Eel Festival occurs the first week of October.

Mesola and Argenta

The photos I took of the castle at Mesola are still undeveloped on print film but suffice to say that what I found more interesting was the wealth of information located inside. The Environmental Education Center is a visit worth making as it illustrates everything from the natural aspects of the Po Delta to old tales and life as a resident of this area. History is depicted in black and white images with italian/english/french/german translations. One of my favorites was this one:

The Water of the Po.  In Pomponesco, on Ascension Day, when the bells of elevation used to ring during Mass, people would dive into the Po. It was believed that one would be protected against illnesses for the entire year. The women used to fill bottles with the river water which they then used throughout the year as a remedy.

Days gone by... Among the several artifacts, this old wooden box which was used to stomp on wine grapes in the era preceding technology is the first I've seen. The background image gives a fantastic illustration of this box set on top of a large barrel. I can only imagine how much hard work (or perhaps fun?) that must have been!

The only reason why we made the visit to outlying Argenta was because we were given the impression that flamingos might also be there.  Big mistake.  Argenta lies inland and has acqua dolce or freshwater lakes. Flamingos require the exact opposite since nutritive elements found in saltwater also gives them their pink color. Just as well that we headed back to Comacchio, we were anticipating our first taste of anguilla!

Brutti e Buoni

Ever since posting about Brutti ma buoni earlier, I hadn't stopped in my quest to sample these addictive cookies from just about any pastry shop that was clever enough to make them. Now, I just may have to come up with a type of rating system to give proper credit where it's due. There is no doubt the owners of Pasticceria Veniani know how to keep a good thing going — this place has been in the brutti e buoni-making business since 1878 when the original creator, Costantino Veniani, came up with a way to woo the indulgent sweet tooths of moneyed italian citizens and royalty alike! Lightly crisp at first nibble; delicately flavored with vanilla, finely chopped hazelnuts and almonds, Ugly and Good cookies practically scioglie in bocca (melt in your mouth). They come wrapped in twos, and considering the trademark packing, I just about flipped when I saw how relatively inexpensive they cost. We will surely go back again for more... the only 'flaw' one might conceivably argue is how they look; these could hardly be passed off as ugly looking!

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Pasticceria Veniani
Piazza Matteotti, 4
Gaviarate (Varese)
Tel. 0332 743084
From Milan take the A8 to Varese, follow the indications to Gavirate

Polenta e Osei

Now these would do nicely for a sugar rush...
I just had to make mention of these simply because of how unique they are - unique in the sense that although the traditional Polenta e Osei is a Lombardian dish of polenta topped with roasted birds, obviously this version is a much sweeter one. I've seen these especially in the old city of Bergamo Alta, irresistibly tempting in the pretty display windows of pastry shops. Alternate layers of spongecake and apricot jam make up the usual filling, but the one we bought had chocolate mousse instead. The dome-shaped cake is then covered in rolled yellow fondant before being coated with sugar. Dainty little chocolate bird decorations adorn the top. Very pretty to look at and the shops strategically place them to get the kids running over with delight but I don't think I'll bother trying this at home, it's tooth-achingly way too sweet!

Zafferano

SAFFRON — As an important addition to making Risotto alla milanese, this prized spice is a common ingredient in the kitchen of italian cooks. I just adore the color if it - so deeply intense and warm. The zafferano commonly used here comes in powder form; minute quantities enclosed in small slips of paper like that one above and sold in individual packets under the brand names Leprotto or 3 Cuochi. I've also seen the teeniest corked vials containing a few precious threads of the dried stigmas, yet I don't know if it rates as highly as the Spanish Mancha I've read about, or the Italian Navelli saffron produced in the region of Abruzzo. Anyway, we once had quite a supply of zafferano, thanks in part to my mom-in-law who had given my husband several packets every so often... that is, before he married me. (What's a single guy to do with all that saffron?!) Several dishes of risotto alla milanese later, I found this unusual version for tiramisù using saffron powder.  I'm always cautious about salmonella so this is a modification translated from the original italian text. As it's unlikely that I'll ever purchase the more expensive dried stigmas to try this recipe, I can only suggest to use it sparingly if you do.

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Tiramisù allo zafferano (Saffron Tiramisù) - serves 8-10
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 packet italian saffron powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot milk (1/16th teaspoon)
8 oz. [250 grams] mascarpone
1 cup [100 ml] whipping cream
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 package ladyfinger or savoiardi cookies
Strong coffee, cooled
Dark cocoa powder or chocolate curls to garnish
One 8x12-inch baking pan/dish* * * *1. In a small stainless steel bowl, constantly whisk together the egg yolks and sugar over simmering water until very hot to the touch. Transfer to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow in color. Fold in the dissolved saffron powder. Now carefully incorporate the mascarpone until thoroughly mixed.

2. Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in another bowl just until the peaks retain their shape when beaters are lifted. Take care to avoid overbeating the cream into butter! Gently fold this whipped cream into the saffron-mascarpone mixture.

3. Dip and briefly soak the ladyfingers in coffee and form a single layer in the pan. Evenly spread with half of the saffron-mascarpone mixture; repeat these layering steps once more. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and refrigerate for atleast 3-4 hours.

Tropea onions

...A definite vegetable craze this week. There is simply no end to the produce available at the market now, and until I try all of 'em, I will continue to reap the 'health' benefits and gain satisfaction from making good use of my overpriced, little camera (grunt) - This time around, Tropea onions (grown in the southern region of Calabria and also on Sicily) were tossed in my shopping basket.* * *

Now, because of the 'stink breath' factor, I don't like to eat raw onions much (heh, there are always exceptions to everything). But these are sweet and mild, and recipes for frittatas, marmalades, gratins, and soup only effectuated an uninspired {*yawn*} out of me. So I gave them the quick-n-easy combo treatment: Combine some real sour cream, or better yet, full-fat greek Total yogurt with blue cheese or ranch seasoning mix. You can't ever go wrong with crisp, fresh vegetables and a bowl of tangy, creamy dip! Never. Add a side of spicy Buffalo Wings if you harbor carnivorous tendencies.

Barba dei frati

I think my mother would have been mighty pleased if my current zeal for eating unusual vegetables matched that of when I was a youngster trying to comprehend WHY we were served greens for supper while at the same time toying with my peas. If she had presented grass on the table, one of us would have something less than complimentary to say!

Barba dei frati (friars' beard) is also known as agretti. A wild grass-like spring produce grown in northern Italy, I've seen them once before in an italian cooking magazine and never gave it much thought until I recently saw them available at Esselunga market. Slightly acidic and bitter when raw, they are tossed into salads; when cooked they taste very much like spinach. They really resemble the stuff that farm animals would go nuts over, and priced at about 6 euros/kilo, are reasonable enough for being human gourmet grass. That 9-ounce bunch above was around €1.50.

Several of the recipes I found suggest to blanch the trimmed bunches for 2-3 minutes before seasoning with good olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. One version was done almost frittata-like; sautéing the greens in a bit of oil before the addition of beaten eggs which were delicately flavored with dried lavender flowers?! I tried a more playful approach by shaping individual 'bird's nests'. Dried chili pepper flakes lended some piquancy to a couple of scrambled eggs and I just heaped them into the centers. The next day I experimented along the style of Asparagi alla milanese (steamed asparagus with a fried egg on top). Now I'm thinking of asian flavors. Slender bunches in sushi or as a side dish seasoned with sesame oil/seeds, fresh ginger, and soy sauce. That, together with korean garlic beef, bean sprout salad, and one fried egg on hot rice makes it a kind of Bee Bim Bap. Anyhow, given the fact that I'm trying to think of creative ways to cook GRASS... I could hardly be considered guilty of 'playing with my food'.

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Agretti nests with poached egg (serves 2)
2 bunches, (8-10 oz.) Agretti or Barba dei frati
extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon
sea salt
2 large eggs
parmigiano
black pepper

Trim/discard the root ends of the agretti and rinse the greens free of dirt. Taking care not to stir them into a tangled mess, blanch them in lightly boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and season to taste with olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon juice, and salt. Divide in half and neatly tuck into the shape of a 'bird's nest' on serving platters.

Either fry the eggs (containing them in a round cookie cutter) or poach them in hot water. Gently slip the cooked eggs into the nests. Sprinkle with grated parmigiano or freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Torino 2006

It would look as if I'm one year ahead of myself, but actually it was the first thought that came to mind when we recently made a return visit to our beginning hometown when I moved here in 2003. What a big change! Or perhaps, maybe it's just because I've seen the city of Torino in a new and better light... clean, clear, blue sky and sunlight, that is. My first impressions of the city were not entirely made of fond "living the sweet life" memories; yanking my island roots from a tropical environment, the overwhelming congestion, pollution, and quick-paced metropolitan living was really difficult to adjust to. In retrospect, my initial dismay is a thing that I can now laugh at, but I was definitely like a fish out of water!

As anyone should know by now, the city of Torino/Turin is hosting the 2006 Winter Olympics. There were noticable differences — much more scaffolding, masked renovations, and roadwork going on. A new fleet of public bus transport navigate the city streets and it's impossible to miss the posters announcing the big event in eye-catching hues. Although it still isn't a place I would choose to live, I can say without bias that it merits a spot on the visitor's itinerary for history, baroque-style architecture, and museums (the Egyptian Museo Egizio, I'm told, ranks second to that of Cairo's). The centrally-located Piazza Castello is a favorite for young families or people watching. The castle (below) sits in the middle of the piazza and is one of my better memories, really impressive at night! A few other sites to check out — all easy to find within the historic center are listed below.

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Museo Nazionale del Cinema - (on via Montebello, 20) is a museum to visit for families with kids. It's interactive, with shadow puppet theaters to delight in, optical boxes to peek inside of, famous film memorabilia, plus cinema culture and history all under the Mole Antonelliana landmark. A combo ticket includes the cost for a lift that goes up for a panoramic outside view over Torino.
Museo Egizio - (via Accademia delle Scienze, 6) I lost a whole afternoon in this museum when we were still living in Torino. The entire collection is awesome!
Sfashion Cafè - (piazza Carlo Alberto) If you're hungry and early enough, you might get lucky and score an outside table for that chic european cafè experience. Otherwise, indoors is fine for small groups. Check out the walls; they're covered with caricatures of famous celebs. The pizza is delicious and the service quick---and they're conveniently open 7 days a week with extended pizza service on the weekends (12:30pm-12:30am).
Caffè Fiorio - (via Po, 8) Arguably the best gelato in town, according to my husband, a former Turin resident of 6 years. The 2 euro-size cone is a good start. Go for a combination and choose two flavors: Crema and gianduja is yummy; but pistacchio and marron glacé... Ooooh, even yummier!

Brutti ma buoni

Or brut ma bon in dialect, means ugly but good. I had discovered them for the first time at a bakery in Poggibonsi (of Siena) and it was love at first bite! Delicately sweet, and crunchy with chopped almonds, these odd-looking cookies go nicely with a cup of hot tea. Brut ma bon, I found out later, were a specialty further north in the Piedmont region, though it's possible to find them in pastry shops in Lombardy too.

The cookies are very easy to make but will take some time as you'll need to stir them constantly over a stove. I sent my husband off to work with a container of these the other morning. They passed the guinea pig test!

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Brutti ma buoni - makes about 20
4 egg whites [100 grams]
pinch salt
8 oz. [240 grams] almonds, chopped very small, about 2 cups
1 cup [200 grams] granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 270 degrees [130C].
Beat the egg whites and salt to firm peaks. Scoop into a large enough pot with a heavy bottom. Add the nuts, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; gently fold everything together to combine well. Over the lowest heat possible, and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook this mixture down until it turns into a thick, sticky, coagulated mass; 20-25 minutes. The bottom of the pot will have developed a brown skin.

On a paper-lined sheet pan, drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls into less-than-perfect mounds (see image above). Bake until light golden brown; around 30 minutes or so. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

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*Note: About 10 minutes into the cooking time, you may decide to curse me, and then perhaps yourself, as you'll begin to notice a crust beginning to form at the bottom. Do not worry! A little soaking in cold water and it all scrubs off easy.

Taverna San Romualdo

As a general rule for both of us, the second/return visit to a restaurant will either make it or break it. There is that element of "living up to its' name" if the first experience was a memorable one. Will the dishes be just as good? The fine service up to par? A recent trip back to Taverna San Romualdo was okay, but left me with the impression of, how to put it?... sitting on the fence?

As it turned out, my favorite stir-fried radicchio and pancetta dish was not on the menu but the octopus and vegetable salad was a tasty alternative. Poached to delicious tenderness and sliced into bite-sizes before being tossed together with olive oil, seasonings, and small diced vegetables. Squid ink tagliatelle with lobster and the Pappardelle with wild hare were both lick-the-plate firsts. For a shared 2nd, Duck braised in wine just did not agree with me at all although my husband liked it. Too dry and extremely gamy. Wild game, or cacciagione, is featured regularly on the menu and it's better to ask first if what you're eyeing is selvaggina or not.

Above: Squid ink tagliatelle with lobster; below: Pappardelle with wild hare sauce.

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Taverna San Romualdo da Antonio
Ravenna (frazione di San Romualdo)
via Sant'Alberto, 364
Tel. 0544 483447
8 km from Ravenna

Antica Trattoria Volano

The initial welcome at any featured restaurant sets the tone for the rest of the dining experience, and regrettably, our first visit to this trattoria (which is also listed in the Slow Food 2005 guide) came as an unexpected disappointment. Rude, surly, and unprofessional are the adjectives that come to mind in describing this small eatery located along the river on viale Volano, not far from the center of Ferrara. Perfunctory service at its worst, we were led to a claustrophobic dining area to the left of the entrance, where menus were hastily tossed onto the table, along with a basket of stale, day-old bread.

The cooking is noted for typical ferrarese cuisine and we tried two of the main suggestions: cappellacci di zucca (pumpkin-filled pasta) and risotto di pesce (fish risotto). Both were good but nothing to rave about. At this point we decided to cut our dinner short and asked for the bill, and here is where further insult was added to injury---a servizio fee of nearly 20% was included in the tab! (Note:  The menu does state an addition of 10% for service). Well ok, someone has to swipe the credit card through the machine!

Vino 1/2 liter	3,50
Acqua	1,50
2 primi (first plates)	14,00
2 caffé	2,00
Servizio	4,00
Totale	25,00

Relatively inexpensive as there was no antipasti or secondo for either of us. Still, hospitality is obviously not one of their better traits and you'd be better off visiting the important sites around the old, medieval center town of Ferrara while stopping every so often to partake in the aperitivo hour. For about the same amount you get the chance to absorb a bit of cultural history while filling up on snacks and drinks — and the bartender won’t slap you with a hefty fee for being there either! {shocked!}

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Antica Trattoria Volano — Ferrara |Web info|
viale Volano, 20
Notes:  Good food, limited winelist, forgettable service.

La Chiocciola

The symbol for this recently renovated locanda/trattoria is la chiocciola (the snail), and if it is any indication as to the set of standards in this family-run bed and breakfast, it is graciously expressed in Ido Magliari's welcome reception. There was a bit of activity going on when we arrived as the cleaning woman was out with a bad knee and the kitchen crew was pitching in to help. While on the way to being shown our room, the chef himself stuck his face out into the hallway and greeted us with a friendly buongiorno! — a man that can cook and clean?! Ladies, need I say more??

The Locanda ~
The lodging area sits above the trattoria and is well-insulated from any kitchen noises or dining room chatter. Six spacious rooms, each named after a particular snail, come with a private bathroom, tv, minibar, and air-conditioning. We were greeted downstairs each morning with a light breakfast of cappuccino, fruit juice, and a pretty assortment of cookies and pastries. As much as I appreciate a heavy, greasy, bacon-and-eggs, american-style type of breakfast, these smallish portions only prompt one to desire another... and another... and okay, just one more for the road!

The Trattoria ~
Ido's son Adalberto has accumulated extensive training and knowledge throughout his career in the food service industry and demonstrates his fine culinary talents as exec chef of the kitchen. Although La Chiocciola is principally known for specialties based on rane e lumache (frogs and snails - and it really sounds so much more classy in the italian or french language!), the very exquisite dishes that he prepares attract clientele from out of town. Foie gras, truffles, and wild mushrooms are among some of the prized ingredients which enhance his creations, yet a stuffy restaurant it is not, and this is reason enough to return again. Delectable food in a peaceful country setting with a staff that makes you feel truly at home. I'll let their new website speak for itself.

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La Chiocciola — Località Quartiere di Portomaggiore
24 km southeast of Ferrara
Region of Emilia Romagna

Ferrara

I think we'll need to look into buying bicycles soon... We spent the easter weekend in Emilia Romagna, a vast region comprised of large flatlands, making it perfect for two-wheeled transport. The bicycle-friendly city of Ferrara lies within this region, and the residents have a good thing going here — you just have to love a place that has clearly marked paths for bicycle enthusiasts! The medieval center town is open only to authorized vehicles, making it a lot more enjoyable to get around without having to breathe car exhaust. The duomo pictured above at Piazza Cattedrale is among several historical buildings, yet it's always surprising to witness the 'old' mixing in with the 'new'. My husband, who (to my complete surprise) has never been to this UNESCO-acknowledged city, pointed out the bike signal light alongside the usual traffic light for cars and people. So of course, my question is, if a cyclist disregards the law and runs the red light, are they penalized with a speeding ticket? :-P

The main purpose for visiting this part of Italy however, lay to the east of Ferrara, in the marshes and wetlands of the Po Delta Regional Park. Here, migratory fowl from various parts of Africa return in large numbers to nest and mate in the first flush of spring. With binoculars, we were fortunate to observe a standing flock of pink flamingos, sterns, several species of herons and wild ducks, and a solitary stork couple that were constructing a nest atop a powerline pole. For all birdwatchers, nature photographers, and ornithologists, take note because this is the place to be. The 2005 International Po Delta Birdwatching Fair will be held in the town of Comacchio during the period of April 28-May 1. The delta encompasses an enormous area and more detailed info can be found at the links below.

Three days time was just nowhere near enough to fully explore this area so I've listed a quick run-down of the places we stopped at.
• Comacchio - a quaint fishing village constructed among a network of canals and bridges.
• Salina di Comacchio/Valli di Comacchio - greater concentration of flamingos.
• L'Abbazia di Pomposa - a beautifully frescoed monastery situated between Mesola and Codigoro.
• The Adriatic Coast - being originally from an island in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, the sea naturally, is like home to me. Walking along the sandy shoreline gathering empty shells and stepping into the gentle surf of the Adriatico was a sweet, nostalgic experience.

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• Parco Delta del Po - Emilia Romagna
• Parco del Delta del Po