The highly anticipated two-week culinary and baking expedition through Northern Italy concluded in September 2025, leaving participants with a profound appreciation for Italian gastronomy and the intricate art of sourdough. Organized in collaboration by renowned baker Maurizio Leo of The Perfect Loaf and Matt Rodbard of TASTE and Food Time, with the expert guidance of tour director Angela, the immersive journey led a diverse group of enthusiastic bakers through the rich culinary landscapes of Emilia-Romagna and Milan. This unique program blended intensive, hands-on sourdough workshops with exclusive tours of local producers, bakeries, and historical food sites, offering a deep dive into Italy’s celebrated food culture that extended far beyond conventional tourism.
Background and Context: Italy’s Enduring Culinary Appeal
Italy has long been revered as a global culinary beacon, with Emilia-Romagna often hailed as its "Food Valley" due to its unparalleled concentration of iconic products like Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and traditional balsamic vinegar. The escalating global interest in artisanal bread and sourdough baking has, in recent years, fueled a demand for experiential travel that offers more than just sightseeing. Travelers are increasingly seeking authentic, hands-on opportunities to learn traditional crafts and connect directly with the origins of their food. This expedition, building on the success of a previous trip to Puglia, was meticulously designed to cater to this niche, allowing participants to engage with Italy’s gastronomic heritage not merely as observers, but as active learners and creators. The program aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the processes, ingredients, and philosophies that underpin Italian culinary excellence, particularly in the realm of fermentation and baking.
A Journey of Dough and Discovery: The Two-Week Itinerary
The expedition was structured into two distinct, yet complementary, phases. The first week was dedicated to an intensive sourdough workshop in Bologna, followed by a second week of comprehensive touring that spanned from Bologna’s ancient streets to Milan’s modern sophistication, punctuated by mini-workshops focused on local specialties.
Preparation and the Traveling Starter: A Baker’s Essential Companion
For a journey centered on sourdough, the integrity of the starter is paramount. Maurizio Leo meticulously prepared his sourdough starter for international travel, a process that underscored the dedication required in artisanal baking. He mixed the starter to a stiff consistency (50% water to total flour), a method known to enhance its resilience and stability during transit, carrying one batch in his carry-on and a second, as a fail-safe, in checked luggage. Upon arrival in Bologna, the immediate priority was sourcing local Italian flour from a Carrefour supermarket to re-activate the starter. Through a regimen of rapid, frequent feedings with warm water, the starter was swiftly brought back to peak activity, ready for the rigorous baking schedule ahead within 24 hours. This initial step not only demonstrated practical sourdough maintenance under challenging conditions but also highlighted the importance of local ingredients in adapting recipes to regional characteristics.
Week One: Bologna’s Sourdough Mastery
The first week unfolded in Bologna, a city renowned for its culinary traditions and vibrant food scene. The workshop, hosted in a local cooking school, became a hub of flour, water, and yeast, even with initial challenges presented by equipment that was smaller than anticipated for the group size. Local assistants, Maolo and Fabiola, were instrumental in navigating these logistical hurdles, ensuring smooth operations.
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Hands-On Learning and Local Flavors: The core philosophy of the workshop was maximizing hands-on time with dough. Participants delved into the creation of various sourdough breads, including robust country loaves, delicate baguettes, airy ciabatta, and versatile pizza dough. Maurizio Leo emphasized that direct engagement—feeling the dough, observing its texture, and understanding its subtle changes—is irreplaceable. "As they say, poking dough with your own finger is worth a thousand words," he noted, highlighting the intuitive learning that hands-on experience provides. The daily schedule thoughtfully integrated midday breaks for excursions to local producers, allowing students to taste regional specialties, source ingredients for their baking, and enjoy communal lunches, enriching their understanding of the local food ecosystem.
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Adapting to Italian Flours and Equipment: A significant learning curve emerged from working with local Italian Type 00 flour. Unlike higher-protein flours often used in sourdough baking, this softer flour demonstrated a limited capacity for high hydration. Maurizio had preemptively adjusted recipes by reducing hydration by 5%, but the humid environment and the absence of a high-speed mixer necessitated further adaptations. This presented a valuable teaching moment, illustrating how skilled bakers can troubleshoot and strengthen dough later in the process through increased folds during bulk fermentation or by implementing a second preshape. The successful outcome, despite these challenges, underscored the adaptability required in artisanal baking and empowered students with practical problem-solving skills. The workshop curriculum also covered sourdough starter maintenance, the role of levain, and essential troubleshooting techniques. A versatile "Rustico" country-style dough, featured in Leo’s cookbook, served as a base, demonstrating how a single dough could be adapted for lean loaves or enriched with local olives, herbs, and lemon zest. The week culminated in a lively pizza party, where participants stretched their own sourdough bases and adorned them with an array of local ingredients, from fior di latte mozzarella and creamy gorgonzola to prosciutto and ripe figs, baked in a traditional bread oven. This celebratory event epitomized the communal spirit of the trip, forging new friendships over shared passion and freshly baked bread.
Mid-Trip Exploration: Verona’s Panettone Insights
Following the intensive workshop, a brief two-day interlude provided an opportunity for further culinary exploration. Maurizio Leo and Matt Rodbard took a side trip to Olivieri, a renowned panettone baker near Verona. This visit offered a valuable behind-the-scenes look at the production of this complex Italian sweet bread, reinforcing the expedition’s commitment to continuous learning and exposure to master craftsmanship, even during periods of rest.
Week Two: From Rustic Charms to Milanese Elegance
The second week ushered in a new group of travelers, some of whom were adventurous returnees from the first week, for a six-day touring experience packed with exclusive events and workshops.
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Rural Roots: Mills, Bakeries, and Piadine: The tour commenced in Riolo di Terme, a serene spa town outside Bologna, offering a tranquil contrast to the bustling city. The evening began with a sourdough piadine workshop, where participants learned to make the local flatbread, served with a selection of prosciutto, cheeses, and other regional charcuterie—a perfect icebreaker. The following day, the group ventured to Monghidoro to explore an ancient chestnut flour mill and nearby stone mills, connecting with centuries-old milling traditions. A highlight was a visit to Forno Calzolari, a family bakery, where Matteo and his family hosted a sourdough starter workshop, dough shaping session, and a bake-off in their wood-fired oven. This provided an intimate glimpse into a community-focused operation dedicated to locally grown and milled grains, emphasizing healthful bread production. The unique "witches"—small flatbreads used to test oven temperature—were a memorable detail, as were the wood-fired tomatoes, which were lauded as "out of this world." That evening, an impromptu aperitivo at the hotel, featuring bakery delights from Forno Calzolari and a panettone from Olivieri, fostered further camaraderie as a local DJ set the mood for dancing.
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The Art of Pasta Sfoglia in Bologna: A shift in focus brought participants to VSB (Vecchia Scuola Bolognese) in Bologna, where Maestra Spisni and her family guided a workshop on rolling sfoglia, the delicate pasta dough essential for Emilia-Romagna’s famous fresh pasta. Acknowledging that mastering this craft takes years, akin to bread-making, the session provided a fun and engaging introduction, culminating in a delightful group lunch of freshly made tortelloni. A subsequent walking tour through Bologna highlighted historical sites, bustling food markets, and further tastings of tortellini and tortelloni. The city’s vibrant gelato scene was also explored, with a visit to Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla, though Cremeria Cavour remained Maurizio Leo’s top recommendation, even for late-night indulgence. The day concluded with a traditional meal at Ristorante Da Cesari, fueling participants for the next day’s exploration of regional specialties.
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Emilian Delicacies: Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar: The tour delved into the production of two of Emilia-Romagna’s most celebrated exports. A private bus transported the group to the countryside for an exclusive tour of Latteria La Grande, a large-scale Parmigiano Reggiano producer. Participants witnessed the fascinating process of transforming raw milk into large cheese wheels in copper vats, followed by an awe-inspiring view of towering, aging Parmigiano Reggiano wheels. This visit underscored the meticulous care and traditional methods protected by Italy’s PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) system. The tour continued to Acetaia Leonardi for a balsamic vinegar tasting and lunch. The extensive menu showcased the versatility of balsamic vinegar, featuring it on cheese, bread, pasta, and even panettone. These experiences collectively illuminated the profound connection between local agriculture, traditional craftsmanship, and regional identity.
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Milan’s Modern Culinary Scene and Panettone Craft: The journey then transitioned to Milan, a city embodying a distinct shift towards industry, fashion, and contemporary cuisine. Here, risotto, cotoletta, and innovative aperitivo scenes replace Bologna’s more traditional meat and pasta focus. Before an intensive panettone workshop, the group visited Pasticceria Marchese for an espresso and a slice of panettone, which Maurizio Leo described as "one of the best I’ve tasted in Italy." Its light, open crumb, high-quality candied fruit, and lack of glaze (typical of Milanese style) set a high benchmark. The panettone workshop itself, acknowledged by Leo as an introduction to "one of the most difficult breads to make," provided an overview of the complex, multi-day process, with hands-on opportunities for dividing, shaping, and scoring the enriched dough.
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Grain to Loaf: The Philosophy of Davide Longoni: The final day included a visit to the bakery of Davide Longoni, a renowned artisan known for his commitment to controlling every aspect of bread production, from grain to finished loaf. The tour showcased their efficient, laboratory-like baking space and, notably, a prototype mill for in-house grain milling. This emphasis on vertical integration and sourcing local grains resonated deeply with the participants, highlighting a growing movement towards transparency and sustainability in baking. The tour guide’s genuine enthusiasm for their craft further reinforced the bakery’s dedication to exceptional products. The visit culminated in a group tasting of Longoni’s diverse breads, including their exceptional "pizza alla palla" (focaccia), paired with local cheeses, meats, and wines.
Participant Engagement and Expert Insights
Throughout the two weeks, the group, described as "curious, energetic, passionate, and eager to explore—and taste," fostered a strong sense of community. The shared experiences of hands-on baking, culinary discovery, and navigating logistical challenges together created an environment where "friendships that should take years happen in days." Maurizio Leo’s pedagogical approach, emphasizing direct observation and adaptation, proved invaluable, turning unforeseen challenges like flour characteristics into profound learning opportunities. The philosophy echoed Anthony Bourdain’s sentiment of experiencing a place "not as a tourist, but as a traveler," to which Leo added, "and I might add, as a baker, too." The palpable excitement was evident, with many attendees opting to purchase a second suitcase to accommodate their newly acquired cheeses, balsamic vinegars, and other local treasures.
Implications for Culinary Tourism and Education
This expedition serves as a compelling model for specialized culinary tourism, demonstrating the high demand for immersive, educational travel experiences. By focusing on artisanal crafts like sourdough baking, pasta making, and traditional food production, the program not only educated participants but also promoted local producers and preserved age-old techniques. The success of the trip underscores a broader trend in food literacy, where consumers are increasingly interested in the origins, processes, and people behind their food. Such initiatives contribute significantly to the local economy, supporting small businesses and showcasing regional culinary identity on a global stage. The emphasis on hands-on learning empowers participants with practical skills, fostering a deeper appreciation for the effort and artistry involved in producing high-quality food.
Looking Ahead: Future Culinary Adventures
Building on the overwhelming success and positive feedback from both the Puglia and Northern Italy trips, plans are already underway for future culinary adventures. While 2026 is slated for a break, Maurizio Leo anticipates returning with one, or possibly two, new trips in 2027. Future destinations will continue to explore the intersection of baking, food culture, and immersive travel, inviting enthusiasts to deepen their connection with global culinary traditions. Interested individuals are encouraged to monitor The Perfect Loaf’s Travel Page for forthcoming details. The global community of "bread-heads" eagerly awaits the next destination, ready to embark on another journey of flavor, learning, and camaraderie. A presto!
