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Visit the historic region of Parma to discover the area's unique contribution to global gastronomy.
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 find 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 flock 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. 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 final 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 five-point ducal crown, the official 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 flavour – a taste
that you won’t forget even when your holiday to Parma is over.
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status is awarded to foods from
specific 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 specific features of the products, and to protect their geographical appellations against imitations and usurpations.
Discover the Origin is a campaign designed to raise awareness around five food and drink products that have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status: Bourgogne Wines, Parma Ham, Douro Wines,
Port and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. These products are made only in designated areas of France, Portugal and Italy using traditional methods, so they are consistently high quality.
Fact File
Getting there
British Airways and Easyjet fly from Gatwick to Bologna from £28 one-way. Flight time is two hours, five minutes. ba.com, easyjet.com. Trains depart from Bologna station to Parma every 20 minutes. Journey time is one hour and tickets cost €7.
Getting around
Car rental with Europcar costs around £250 per week in July. europcar.com
TEP operates bus services throughout the region. tep.pr.it
When to go
From April to June weather is sunny, but not too hot. Average temperatures rise to 30°C in July and August.
Where to stay
Hotel Palace Maria Luigia, Parma, doubles from €132, including breakfast. Smart, centrally located hotel with contemporary rooms. palacemarialuigia.com
Where to eat
Ombre Rosse, Borgo Giacomo Tommasini 18, 43100 Parma, ombrerosseparma.it
Osteria del Gesso, Via Ferdinando Maestri 11, 43100 Parma, osteriadelgesso.it
Find out more
discovertheorigin.co.uk, festivaldelprosciuttodiparma.com, prosciuttodiparma.com, parmigiano-reggiano.it, turismo.comune.parma.it/en