Bologna - Part Two (Parma Karma)

As promised, we continue our food extravaganza series - this time with a behind the scenes look at the curing of Parma prosciutto.

Just after leaving the small farm where we saw parmagiano-reggiano being made, we made way to Langhirano, a small village outside of Parma, Italy.  This is the true birthplace of Parma ham, but in a nod to marketing savvy the locals decided some time ago that it would be easier to pronounce and remember Parma prosciutto rather than calling their special delicacy Langhirano prosciutto.

We arrived at a small, family run curing house called La Perla.  The daughter of the owner was kind enough to take us on a tour of her family's business.  Before we get into the various stages of curing the ham, there are a couple of things to know.  The pork that is used to make Parma prosciutto comes from only certain local pigs (no jokes please) that have been designated DOC which is an abbreviation in Italian for 'denomination of controlled origin.'  It is only the hind legs of these particular pigs that can be used in the making of Parma prosciutto.  God only knows what they do with all those front legs that are left over.

First step in the process is a salting machine that coats each leg to begin the curing process.  It is in this machine that the legs get 'massaged' first to help ensure that the salt adheres well.  These legs are first placed in different industrial size refrigerators - at specific temperatures and humidity - over several weeks to ensure that the salt (Sicilian sea salt, of course) starts to get absorbed into the meat.

Stage 1...

Stage 2...

Stage 3...Now we wait!

Once that process is completed, the legs are moved to a hanging position in different refrigerators - again at very specific temperatures and humidity - to begin the lengthy process of fully curing the ham.  The portions of the leg that are covered in fat start getting hard to protect the meat inside.  But there are some exposed sections of meat that need to be covered by additional fat - by hand - to ensure that these sections remain protected from exposure to outside elements during the curing process.  Is it any wonder why this stuff tastes so good?

Our tour guide...

....and me!

The horse bone tester...

...& the official finished project!

Over many months, each leg cures into the prosciutto that we all know and love.  But it is not until the inspector comes that a leg can be branded (literally with a hot brand) as being Parma prosciutto.  It's a 5 point inspection in which the inspector sticks a small piece of horse bone (I kid you not) into specific sections of the leg and smells the horse bone to determine if the leg has the right smell to be considered 'perfect Parma.'  Just like with the making of parmagiano-reggiano, there are many stamps and codes that you can find on each piece.  These stamps indicated the specific curing house that cured the prosciutto, as well as the farm the pig came from.  If you got a close look at one of these legs in your local deli, you could conceivably trace Porky back to his birth place and the route he took to your dinner table.



The best deli counter ever...

...we'll take these!



Tom & the hooch...

After the tour, we Ron and I were treated to a delicious lunch in the La Perla dining room where we enjoyed different kinds of prosciutto and other assorted salami.  Between that, some homemade pasta, a bottle of wine and some homemade after-dinner hooch that the owner brought out for us, we were all fired up to buy an assortment of prosciutto and salami in their 'gift shop.'  It was hardly a gift shop, really, more like a large deli counter from which you could purchase some of the things you had just tasted - and we did.  We had been particularly fascinated with the hooch (I assume you all know what I mean -but just in case - it was a homemade dessert wine like moscato - but infinitely more interesting by virtue of it being served in an unlabeled bottle) that we asked if would be possible to purchase a bottle.  The lady at the cash register (the owner's wife and our tour guide's mother) gave us a knowing look, smiled and slipped back into the kitchen to emerge a few moments later with our very own bottle to take home.  Just try that trick at a Bennigans or Cheesecake Factory and see what it gets ya.

(Stamping the hams!

Just a little video...wish it was smell-a-vision...yum!)

Blissfully full, we settled back into the car and the driver headed towards Modena for our final stop of the day - a small estate that ages traditional balsamic vinegar.  But that, dear friends and family, is a story for another day.  So, until next time, Buon Appetito!

Lastly, since this blog is being posted today, we would like to send Extra Speacial Love to a fabulous person and a fabulous friend on his birthday! Happt Birthday/Buon Compleanno James! Enjoy your day and have a great year!