Last Stop Parma – Art, History, Meat, and Cheese!

Parma was all about art, history, Prosciutto di Parma, and the king…Parmigiano Reggiano!

We arrived at the train station around noon on the 31^st of January.  It was cold and rainy.  We had one cheap collapsible umbrella between us, and emphasis on the collapsible, it kept bending in the wind.  We struggled to make it useful or to keep dry.  The walk from the train to where we had scheduled to store our luggage wasn’t very far, so we huffed it staying as close as we could to try to stay dry.

The luggage storage was actually in a very cute shop down a cute alleyway with lighted signs overhead a hangover from the holidays.  We opened the door to a tickling bell and inhaled the sweet perfumery of scented soaps and candles.  They also had some women’s attire and an assortment of home décor.  “Buongiorno!” we greeted the shop owner, who replied with a warm “Buongiorno!”  “Parla Inglese?” I asked.  “Yes, a little!” she replied.  We showed her our luggage reservation and she quickly processed it on her end, checking them in and taking photos of the bags.  She indicated that the store would be open until 5:30 pm (17:30). We replied that was perfect and would be back before then.  I looked around, didn’t see any umbrellas, but thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask. She replied, that she did not have any, but there was a hat store back around the corner to the left that would probably have some hats.  She laughed and said, “The lady who owns the store is known around town and has a name… How do you say it?  Hmmm, like in Alice in Wonderland?”  I said, “Mad Hatter?” She laughed…”Si! Yes!”

Off we went to the Mad Hatter’s store.  We found it easily, it was the 2^nd or 3^rd store around the corner to the left and had an assortment of hats, many looked “antique-ish.”  We went into the store, a bit like stepping back into the 50s or 60s… beighy walls, drapes covering the back where her stockroom was located. An old cash register on the counter, and lots of shelves and racks with hats.  We said “Boungiorno!” and inquired about “Ombrelli?”  She turned to her back wall where she had a rack with about 6-8 large umbrellas of assorted colors.  She handed me one, a very well made, wooden handled umbrella, with a pretty blue-purple floral design.  She removed the plastic bag around it and indicated how to open it.  She held it up saying, “Mai cosi!” (never like this). Then she held it down and twirled it around slightly so the folds of the umbrella opened a bit, then she pressed the lever fully opening the umbrella and lifting it over her head, “Solo cosi!”  It was large enough for the two of us to walk under.  However, I realized it was pretty “girly,” and I spied a maroon umbrella with a smaller abstract pattern of yellow, blue, and green mushroom like shapes, I asked her if I could look at that one.  She helped remove the bag and opened it up for me. It too was a very well made wooden handled umbrella with a thumb notch and a little metal label nailed to the handled. “Quanto costa?”  “Venti Euro.” She replied.  I was thinking in my mind, that was a steal for such a well-made umbrella!  I pulled out 20€ from my purse and thanked her. Off we went, arm in arm under our new umbrella!

Since it was raining, we decided to get a bit to eat and a coffee at a café. Afterwards, we headed over to the nearby Museum that housed a historical museum, the Farnese Theatre, and the National Gallery of Parma. The history went back to pre-historic/neanderthal times, through Etruscan, and Roman Empire… as well as some Egyptian artifacts.  The Farnese Theatre was very impressive, a wooden theatre originally constructed in the 1600s and almost destroyed in WWII.  It was rebuilt and repaired in the 1960s and is now used for special occasions.  The art museum was full of impressive works by great Italian painters including Canatelle, Correggio, Tintoretto, Da Vinci, and many others.  My favorite was the “Head of a Woman,” also known as “La Scapiliata” painted by Da Vinci between 1492 and 1501. It was the inspiration for the “Da Vinci” painting in the Cinderella-esque movie “Ever After” starring Drew Barrymore.

After all of that, we were tired.  It was still raining so we decided to go back and grab our bags and head to our boutique hotel.  I realized as we headed down the street to our hotel that I hadn’t done the pre-checkin required in Italy.  So we stood under the umbrella in the rain while I went online and completed this task.  I received an automated email with check-in instructions for entering the main door.  Problem, the code that was given did not work!  I scanned the information I received for a number to contact.  Finally, I found a number, the lady that answered did not speak English.  I was able to stumble through a few words and quasi phrases to make her understand that the door did not open.  She hung up.  I looked at Steve… wtf?!  Then I checked my WhatsApp, she had sent an updated check-in with photos and codes.  We got in the main door finally, walking down a long white marble hallway, passing a small open courtyard on the left.  Next we saw stairs going up but then there was also a small elevator at the next left left. Thank Goodness!  We were on the 3^rd floor again (4^th in US) and I really didn’t feel like dragging the luggage up the stairs!  We reached our Suite door.  I had to re-read the instructions again… the initial code they had given us for main door was actually the code to a lock box beside our door. Finally, with electronic key fob in hand we entered our room! See other post on accommodations for details!

Long story short, we were able to sneak in a nap before heading out for some dinner, then an early night before our planned excursions the next day.

We met up with our Viator tour guide at another hotel parking lot. We were happy to climb in the back of a van that eventually held 7 passengers and the driver. We headed out of town toward the countryside.  Parma is surrounded by a mostly flat, green, rural area made up of farms, dairies, vineyards, and grazing lands.

First stop – Ferrarini & Bonetti Parmigiano Reggiano factory

We donned our hairnets and booties and were taken on a tour of the whole cheese making process (minus milking cows) at this factory. We got see how the milk was brought in and placed in large brass cauldrons or vats. Rennet (an enzyme taken from the 4^th stomach of young weaned cows)  is added to begin to form curds.

It takes about 550 liters of milk to make one wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The cauldrons are monitored and when the cheese curds start forming, the cheesemaker uses a spino (like a large whisk) to stir up and break down the curds Into smaller granules. They also used a giant corkscrew type mixer to really mix it up. Then heat is applied to cauldron until the cheese mixture reaches 55 ° C (131 °F).  This heating process results in the granules sinking to the bottom and becoming one solid mass.

After about 50 minutes, the cheesemaker removes the mass suspending it with cheesecloth on a pole over the vat.  Then the mass is cut using a machete type knife into two masses and separated onto two cheesecloths to cool and drain. Afterwards, the cheese is placed into a mold with an inner liner that has markings that give information about what month/year of production, the name Parmigiano Reggiano, and codes and serial numbers which identify producer, etc. After a few days, the wheels are immersed in a salt bath, which works by osmosis. This salting process ends the production cycle and then begins the aging/fermentation process.

During the aging process, the cheese wheels are monitored and turned by a machine on a regular basis.  The minimum ageing time is 12 months. It is at this point that cheese is evaluated by consortium experts, using a type of hammer, and visual observations that all quality controls have been met for it to be called Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (protected designation of origin within the specified region (a specific region within the Emilia Romagna Province) and meet specific production and quality criteria). Selected qualified cheese wheels may also continue to be aged for 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, or 100 months, becoming richer tasting, drier, and more granular…and much more expensive! Once that wheel is cut into, it is the end of the aging process.

After enjoying our tasting of 18 and 30 month aged cheese (with wine of course)… we were off to our Final stop!

 

Final Stop – Ziveri Claudio – Proscuitto di Parma

Our next and final stop was just down the road from the cheese factory in an unassuming building.  We again donned our head and foot gear and started our tour.  I have to say that I was overwhelmed with all the pork haunches I saw during this tour, though the process was very interesting and the results quite tasty.  I had to refer to http://proscuittodiparma.com website for the details of this long but worthwhile process. 

I know it is strong tasting for some, but I love Prosciutto di Parma! They take the back legs of pork and massage it with salt, refrigerate it at between 1 and 4 ° C and an 80% humidity.  They also turn over the leg repeating the process. After about a week,  it gets a second thin salt coating which is left on for 15 – 18 days depending on the weight of the pork leg. Salt is the only preservative used in the processing, no other chemicals are permitted.

Next, the hams are hung in a refrigerator for 60 – 90 days at 75% humidity, the meat darkens initially during this process but returns to a rosy color towards the end. The hams are then washed with water and brushed to remove the excess salt, and then hung in a drying room for a few days.

The next step involves hanging the hams on frames in well ventilated rooms with large windows that are opened when the outside temperature and humidity are favorable. This allows for a constant and gradual drying of the hams. Connoisseurs  claim that this is the critical part for the development of the distinctive flavor. At the end of this approximate 3-month step, the exposed surfaces are dry and hardened.

The next step involves using a mixture of lard and salt to make a paste to coat the ham to prevent over drying of the ham. In the seventh month of the process, the hams are placed on racks in “cellars” with less air and light until the curing process is completed. The weight loss during the curing process is about 5 %.

 

The minimum ageing is 14 months by law, as measured from the date of the first salting. Some hams may be allowed to cure for up to 3 years or longer.  Consortium experts verify the processes are to their standards and use a horse bone needle to insert into various parts of the ham to test the meat and make sure that smell/fragrance is consistent with the quality standards. Then and only then are the hams allowed to be fire branded with a Ducal Crown.  Inspectors of an independent certifying body check the ageing period from the registers and the seal on the ham to make sure they conformed to all the processing procedures.

Following our tour, the actual owner Claudio, sliced up some Prosciutto for us on a machine that has been in his family for over 50 years (and looked like a classy, shiny Cadillac).  He served us prosciutto and delicious Lambrusco wine. 

 

We highly recommend a trip to the Emilia Romagna Province, and especially Parma, to taste these culinary wonders for yourselves!

Ciao for now!