Slow Food and Fast Cars…Modena

So, if you started at the beginning of this week’s posts you know it’s about food. In fact it’s not just about food, its’ about slow food- the kind of food that is made from fresh, local ingredients where the focus is on quality not quantity. Slow food is synonymous with a commitment to preserving traditional and regional cuisine and doing so with sustainable methods of food production. Interestingly, there is an official “Slow Food” movement that began in Italy to counter the rise of Fast Food.

Now that you’ve heard about some slow food, you may be wondering what about the fast cars part? That comes now!

Modena, home of precious balsamic vinegar (for which connoisseurs will pay a few hundred dollars for a small bottle of the deep ruby red, syrupy elixir) has also given us what is perhaps the world’s best known race car- Ferrari! Modena and the nearby towns are known as Italy’s Motor Valley, home to not just Ferrari but Lamborghini, Bugatti, Ducati, Pagani and DeTomaso (I have to admit I never heard of the last two but then I drive a very modest Fiat Panda).

Here, driving enthusiasts can tour the production lines and test drive legendary cars. We skipped the adrenalin rush of zipping around Modena’s Autodromo propelled by 789 horsepower at up to 200 km/hr in a car (Ferrari 812 GTS) that cost as much as a house. Instead we opted for a rather tame option - a tour of the Ferrari Museum - which we found thrilling enough.

This museum is in two buildings. One houses about 2 dozen cars- classic, iconic and cutting edge examples of Ferrari’s brilliance.

I was awed to stand among the beautiful, powerful examples of human genius, ingenuity and engineering excellence. Each one was more impressive than the one just behind it. Take a look!

Notice the Prancing Horse, the "Cavallino Rampante" , the Ferrari logo. This symbol was on the planes flown by a WWI hero, Count Francesco Baracca. The Count's mother suggested Enzo use this as his logo for good luck.

The home and workshop of Enzo Ferrari’s father was renovated to hold the other portion of the museum’s exhibits. This solid brick building is a sharp contrast to the space age feeling of structure of “the showroom”. Here you can follow the evolution of the engine that made Ferrari dominan on the racetrack. Have you ever seen a 12 cylinder engine?

Here there are also historical documents and a recreation of Enzo’s office where he and his engineering and design teams wrangled over decisions.

Slow Food and Fast Cars…Parma (the Ham)

Harvest Time!

Jill Viggiano