Osteria Francescana

Massimo Bottura is the chef who marries sensuous Slow Food preservationism with futuristic invention at the Michelin two-starred Osteria Francescana. For dinner, savor musky-sweet satiny petals of culatello, the king of prosciutto, aged for 36 months in the foggy lowlands near Parma by Massimo Spigaroli, a salumaio who counts the Prince of Wales among his fans. Then toothsome dime-size tortellini, bathed in the rich, velvety cream from Caseificio Rosola. A tasting menu has a play on a regional panino: "memory of a mortadella sandwich," a cube of crunchy foccacia with mortadella foam.