Lambrusco and popcorn?...no, better the cotechino!

Maybe Ligabue was right, but we prefer the song to the culinary advice! And the Lambrusco has an ideal marriage… one could say for “a lifetime”, “until fork do us part”.
It is the Cotechino. And the Emilian friends know this well.

Many times one wonders, which came first, wine or food in a region? Because it is extraordinary how the two always go hand in hand.
Langhe, truffle, and Barolo! Valpolicella Amarone and braised meat! Collio Ribolla and fish! Chianti and Chianina! And so on. Italy has an example for every city. It is indeed true that man has managed to adapt processing techniques to nature that have always allowed for pleasure at the table.

There is no better wine than Lambrusco for the richness of cotechini or zamponi. Pork skin and lean parts blend into a unique creaminess that is hard to resist.
And what would the end-of-year celebrations be without cotechino with lentils? A dish that has crossed regional borders and has become a must, an Italian tradition that has united the north and south.

But which Lambrusco? Here it depends on taste. There are dry and soft Lambruscos, tart and balanced, structured and lighter. In Mantua, they prefer it dry and call it Salamino. In Modena, however, among the sweet hills of Castelvetro, they love it soft and enticing. In both cases, the bubbles are essential for such succulent and rich dishes.

Let’s just say that pork generally calls for Lambrusco. A great risotto with tastasal, as they do in Verona, with ground pork in the pure style of sausage, or the legendary risotto all’isolana from Isola della Scala, with parts of pork and parts of beef, or the risotto with el pontel from Casteldario in Mantua. And in all cases, pairing it with Lambrusco provides pleasure and satisfaction.

Yes, because Lambrusco has the advantage of being low in alcohol, fresh, creamy, fruity, and definitely cleansing.

In short, for some winter dishes from the Po Valley and beyond… it’s a real tonic for the tables!

S&M