12 Nov The Country of Good Taste
The best way to get to know this land is to taste it! The air of these areas blows in from the Versilia sea; it is purified of its saltiness by the aroma of fragrant Apennine pinewoods and the fragrance of beech and chestnut stands and when it finally reaches Langhirano, in the Parma river valley, it is dry and perfect for “making” Parma Ham. The characteristic buildings with wide terraces and tall and narrow windows are not the bizarre choice of a local architect, but elements that allow this special air to “dry out” the valuable pork legs. A balanced salting process, still done by hand with ancient gestures reminiscent of sowing, and a long maturation process, watched over by expert men, complete the work! Sea wind, excellent Italian meats, salt and loving care are therefore the exclusive ingredients of this ancient passion that guarantees unparalleled sweetness and genuineness to a unique product.
The King of Deli Meats could only have been born here, and here it is duly celebrated every year in September with the traditional Parma Ham Festival, an international event that offers the extraordinary opportunity to visit Parma ham production sites and discover the production secrets of the most renowned dry-cured ham in the world.
The former Foro Boario, a splendid 1928 example of rural architecture, used in the past as a cattle market, today hosts the Parma Ham and Cured Meats Museum: a fascinating journey to discover the historical, geographical and qualitative reasons behind products of excellence.
The cradle of food and wine treasures, Langhirano offers visitors a wide choice of quality local products: in addition to Prosciutto di Parma PDO and the rich range of Parma deli meats, we find the very best Parmigiano-Reggiano and the fragrant Colli di Parma DOC wines. The local enogastronomic tradition combines the best culinary art of the city of Parma with the typical dishes of the mountain area. Guests can enjoy the delicious taste and generous welcome of this extraordinary area in the many trattorias, restaurants and tasting centres.
