Day Nineteen

The final day of our great Italian road trip. We kicked it off in style with a visit to the Ferrari museum. I am not a huge car buff, but you just gotta love those sleek lines and that Ferrari RED! The thing I liked about this museum was that it focused more on the history and racing legacy of Ferrari and the many greats who have piloted their vehicles than it did on the present day production stuff. From an Industrial Design standpoint though, I sure would have loved to see their production lines as well. Like I said, I am not a car buff, but at the museum I was introduced to the Enzo Ferrari shown in the first photograph below, I dare you not to love the looks of this sexy beast.

Our final destination before heading home to Rome (Rome is Home) was a stop at the Acetaia Malpighi. An Acetaia is a place that makes Balsamic vinegar. Those who know me would understand that my heart began to race a bit as soon as I stepped in the door. I love all kinds of vinegar, but particularly Balsamic. I literally would bath in the stuff if it weren't so damned expensive. The reason for the priciness was revealed to us at the acetaia by a woman who represents the fifth generation of Malpighis making traditional balsamic vinegar. Traditional balsamic vinegar is a very strictly regulated type of Balsamic vinegar. It is typically 12 or 25 years of age but can be much older. The barrel shown in the closeup below has the date written on the label. This barrel has been aging since 1860! It has outlived entire generations of Malpighis! Can you believe that? The room that the vinegar is aged in has the most delightful smell. It literally is so strong that it stings the nostrils. It did a great job of clearing my sinuses though after inhaling all this polluted air. We were joking that they could quite honestly probably charge people just to sit up there and breath. After she explained the whole process to us we proceeded down for a tasting(and purachasing). She treated us to, in order, Balsamic Jam, Balsamic syrup, 5 yr old white balsamic, 6 yr old red balsamic, 12 yr old traditional balsamic and then the 25 yr old traditional balsamic. My mouth is watering right now thinking of it and I may drool on the keyboard. The white Balsamic was of particular interest to me as I have never encountered it before and it seemed extra tangy, just how I like it!