Val Tidone is rich in agri-food products:

– 3 typical cured meats protected with the DOP brand, Coppa, Pancetta and Salame Piacentino;
– 1 PDO cheese, Grana Padano;
– DOC wines Colli Piacentini,
– PAT (Traditional Agri-Food Products); the province of Piacenza has more than 100 PATs and many of these are in Val Tidone,
– De.Co products (Municipal Denomination) which are to be precise 7:

• the Treccia di Trevozzo Val Tidone,
• the Truffle of Pecorara,
• Tortelli with Nettles of Genepreto.
• the Busseto Potato,
• the Roast Cup
• the Batarò of Alta Val Tidone,
• the Chisöla of Borgonovo Val Tidone.

The real challenge, however, is disputed between 2 simple bakery products … but very tasty and that is the Chisöla and the Batarò.
A clash of titans… a bit like having to choose between Beatles and Rolling Stone to understand each other. ????
Let’s find out to decide “which side to be on”.

Chisöla, (focaccia with greaves) is a poor product of the peasant tradition. It is prepared with white flour, greaves, brewer’s yeast, lard, water and salt.
A legend tells that Frederick Barbarossa in 1155 passed in Val Tidone with his army and, in the area where Borgonovo later rose, the population fed him and his exhausted and hungry troops with tons of “Chisöla”. The army of Frederick Barbarossa continued its journey and did not create any damage to the inhabitants of the place … well we can’t believe it… Such a delicacy can only make everyone agree.

The batarò is a tasty sandwich with the addition of corn flour. It obviously lends itself to being stuffed and here you can indulge even if there are some versions that have entered the hearts of both locals and tourists.

Here they are:
– Bataro bacon and zola
– Bataro Coppa and Fontina
– And for the sweet tooth instead here is the sweet Batarò combined with chocolate or hazelnut cream.

The real question now is: Who is it or batarò?

Our answer…
Why have to choose… an excellent Chisöla for an aperitif and then a fabulous batarò for dinner.