The phrase “Made in Italy” conjures images of steaming bowls of pasta, enormous wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano, paper-thin slices of prosciutto and sleek Ferraris. Everyone knows what Italy is famous for, but far fewer realize that many of these icons come from a single region: Emilia-Romagna.

Stretching from Piacenza in the west to Rimini on the Adriatic coast, Emilia-Romagna is known as Italy’s pantry for its vast agricultural production. “Most gastronomic products known as ‘Made in Italy’ are essentially ‘Made in Emilia-Romagna’—a testament to this land’s extraordinary fertility,” says Alessandro Medici, a fifth-generation producer of Lambrusco and aceto balsamico.