Mortadella is one of the most popular sausages in Italy: There are around 1,200 companies throughout the country that produce the pink specialty.
But the real mortadella comes from Bologna, more precisely from the municipality of Zola Predosa, eleven kilometers west of the metropolis.

Here, the sausage is carefully heated in increments of ten from 60 to 90 degrees and then cooked for up to 43 hours, depending on its size.
This is the only way to give it its fine flavor and pink hue.

During the Mortadella, please! festival, those interested can find out exactly how the production process takes place in one of Zola Predosa's many production facilities.
And along a taste route in the center, chefs show that you can do more with the sausage than just put it on a piece of bread.

The small bites will be accompanied by wine from the Colli Bolognesi region, but also other products of Emilia-Romagna will present themselves to visitors during the two days.
A children's program and live music in the garden of Villa Garagnani complete the festival.