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this bread is an aphrodisiac. i'm all alone in a hotel. why would i want to do that? this place is rich and its food is famous. some bold souls whisper that it's the best in italy. >> massimo: smell, smell, smell! the smell is unbelievable. >> i'm stanley tucci. i'm italian on both sides and i'm traveling across italy to discover how the food in each of this country's 20 regions is as unique as the people and their past. anger, religion, and death in a pasta. it has everything in it. i'm here to discover why this place is home to the gastronomic superstars of the nation's superstars ...

That can be fire-stamped is from the white cows. >> right. >> this is a very, very small production and extremely high-quality. milk is king in emilia-romagna. the white cows are the bianca modenese breed, unique to the valley of theriver po that runs through this region. >> massimo: bravo, bravo! >> emilia-romagna's medieval monks, hungry for a long-lasting cheese... it looks like a magic act. ...invented parmigiano. thank god for them. three, two, one, open! oh my god. smell, smell, smell! this smell is unbelievable. >> the smell is unbelievable. >> oh my god !

Monasticism has its roots in ancient pre-Christian history, although most people think of medieval monks first. Who were the first monks, and how did the tradition develop?