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Anyone who returns from a
holiday to Italy will be full of
praise for the native cuisine:
steaming bowls of pasta ragu
washed down with rustic red
wine or fresh insalata tricolore
with a glass of white. But visitors to Parma
nd themselves in the homeland of two of
the country's true culinary gems: Parma Ham
and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese.
Located in the northern Italian region of
Emilia-Romagna, Parma is roughly halfway
between Bologna and Milan. Smaller than
its neighbours, the historic city is easy to
get around, boasting pretty, uncongested
cobbled streets. There's plenty to see
here, including the bustling Medieval town
square, Piazza Duomo, with its octagonal,
pink-marble baptistry: a striking mix of
Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Culture vultures ock to the Teatro Regio
for opera - composer Verdi was born in
nearby Roncole - while the surrounding
countryside boasts the picturesque 15th
Century castle of Torrechiara.
But no tour of the local sights is complete
without a visit to one of the region's many
restaurants and bars, where you'll be able
to taste the local delicacies. Parma Ham and
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese are Protected
Designation of Origin (PDO) products which
are promoted by the Discover the Origin
campaign (see box). Generations of artisans in
Parma have perfected traditional production
methods, often over hundreds of years -
methods which are still used today.
A visit to a Parma Ham producer during
the Festival of Prosciutto di Parma (5-21
September) is the best way to understand
how this special product is made. The 189
producers in the region all follow strict
guidelines to make the sweet, savoury
ham using four essential ingredients: Italian
pigs, salt, air and time. Each pig leg is cured
with sea salt by an expert maestro salatore
over three weeks, then rested, washed and
brushed to remove excess salt.
The hams are then aired for a further three
months, ready for greasing with a paste
of minced pork fat and salt. The nal cure
must last for at least one year and can last
up to 30 months. A highly-trained inspector
determines whether each leg is high enough
quality to be Parma Ham. Those that pass
the test are branded with a ve-point ducal
crown, the o cial guarantee of authenticity
for all Parma Hams.
While Parma Ham can only be produced
in the hills around the city of Parma, the
designated area for Parmigiano Reggiano
Cheese includes Parma, Reggio Emilia,
Modena, Bologna on the west bank of
the Reno river and Mantua on the right
bank of the Po river. This hard, granular,
cows' milk cheese is cooked rather than
pressed, using methods handed down for
more than eight centuries.
In the casello, or cheese dairy, whey is
added to milk to begin fermentation and then
heated, stirring continuously. Rennet is added
and the milk thickens to form curds, which are
broken up, then cooked again at 55°C, before
being poured into circular moulds called
fasceras. These are left to set, then placed
in salt water for 20-25 days, ahead of the
all-important long maturation. All Parmigiano
Reggiano Cheese must be aged for one year,
when it is inspected to decide whether it can
age longer. The oldest cheeses are aged for
36-48 months, giving an intense avour - a
taste that you won't forget even when your
holiday to Parma is over.
a taste of italy
Visit the historic region of Parma to discover the
area's unique contribution to global gastronomy
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status is awarded to foods from speci� c geographic areas which
adhere to rigorous standards. PDO status is an indication of quality and origin of traditional products
created by the European Union to help consumers by informing them about speci� c features of the
products, and to protect their geographical appellations against imitations and usurpations.