Parma hams and culatello
They’re hanging from the ceiling, bat-like, smelly and dusty. In the darkened basement you feel like they could suddenly come alive, turn on you in a swarm and leave you with no defences.
They look menacing – partly because of the dimly-lit and enclosed environment, partly because of their resemblance to cocoons of dangerous and exotic predators, and partly because of the unknown. What are they?
Well, they’re parma hams. In this cellar underneath an old castle in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, more than five thousand pieces of pig are being turned into one of the local delicacies – the ‘culatello’ variety of prosciutto.
It’s one of the finest pork products you will ever eat! There’s a reason some of the world’s rich and famous order their own supplies from here – see if you can spot a celebrity name in this batch.
What is culatello?
The professionals here at Antica Corte Pallavicina take their work seriously. It is a fine art to create meat like this and they’ve been using the same technique for generations.
First, the softest part of the upper thigh is cut off to be used. It’s massaged with wine and garlic and then with salt and pepper. It’s left to rest for five days before being put into a pig bladder. It’s tied up and then hung in this cellar.
There’s a reason all the hanging hams are dusty and mouldy. They’ll stay suspended from the ceiling for at least twelve months… and sometimes for as long as forty months!
Once they are ready, the bundles will be taken down, the bladder will be removed and the meat will be left wrapped in a cool cloth for two days. When the cloth is removed, the meat must be sliced within one hour.
To eat true culatello you must be here in the Emilia Romagna region because transporting it will ruin the delicate taste.
So much effort and care goes into ensuring the meat is of the highest quality. It starts well before the pig is even slaughtered.
At Antica Corte Pallavicina, they grow their own maize, barley and bran to feed to the animals. I would’ve said the pigs eat better than the humans… but that was before I had my chance to taste the culatello.
Parmigiano cheese
We eat it with cheese – the parmigiano-reggiano – which this region is also famous for. And drink it with a chilled lambrusco made locally.
We’re finally out of the cellar, in the castle’s courtyard, watching the sun go down over the river nearby while peacocks meander through the grounds. The balance of the flavours is perfect. There’s a harmony with our setting too.
So much time has gone into preparing this meal – months and months. So much care has been taken with every step along the way. It’s a pleasure to take the time and care to savour the moment.
Time Travel Turtle was a guest of the Emilia Romagna tourism board but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.
It’s fascinating to me how many hours and months is put into making food taste great when we only taste it for mere seconds.
I would have loved to have tried this pre-vegetarianism days so for now I’ll gladly settle for the cheese and wine
Normally I understand people who choose to be vegetarian… surely there are times like this when you question that decision, though? 🙂
I’m with Caz 🙂 I’ll gladly settle for the cheese and wine, too, although even though we don’t eat meat, it’s still fascinating the amount of love and effort that goes in to preparing these types of meat. The ultimate slow foods!
I don’t know how they have the patience! So much time to prepare it and then someone like me would eat the whole thing in minutes!!
They sure do know how to eat in Italy and you sure do know how to make me hungry. Tasty food post! I wonder if Armani would miss his…
Surely he wouldn’t notice? I should’ve tested the theory… 🙂
Very nice post.
Thanks Forrest.
Isn’t this delicious 🙂 I admit it’s been hard to stick to a vegetarian diet in Italy 😉
Being a vegetarian would be hard in Italy. But just be thankful you’re not gluten-intolerant. That would be nigh on impossible!!
It does look a lot like a bat cave. And the smell must be overwhelming. Thanks for another great story from Italy. I really admire your style.
It’s funny, you kind of get used to the smell. But it was still pretty creepy being down there. I honestly did expect them to start flying around and attacking me at any moment!
What Caz said! Amazing how much time and effort goes into this sort of thing. Part of me wonders how humanity could be if we spent this much time focusing on solving issues. On the other hand, the ham looks tasty…
Who needs world peace when you can have Parma ham? 🙂
That’s hilarious, I just wrote about Alain Ducasse in a freelance story I did last night about famous chefs opening up restaurants in the Caribbean! Mary and I have really gotten into charcuterie in recent years, and I have not yet had breakfast, so this looks like heaven! Nom nom nom…
Yes, apologies. This post really should have come with a warning message not to read it if you are hungry!
The cheese photo makes my mouth water.
It would go perfectly with some of that South American wine you keep talking about on your site!! 🙂
I would have to stick one of those Parma hams in my purse and make a run for it! Looks yummy!
Oh, believe me, it was very tempting! Maybe that’s why they tried to slow me down with all the delicious lambrusco!! 🙂
We are making sandwiches using ham from the local markets every day in Italy. Loving it!
I ate so much food in Italy. The ham is absolutely delicious… and there are so many different ways that they prepare it!
Man, I just *had* to read this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Culatello parma is DELISH…..and now I’m absolutely starving.
Great post, great shots 🙂 HUNGRY! 🙂
Sorry!!! Every time I look at the photos I get pangs in my stomach. I miss the Italian food already… 🙁
Consequently, parma is my all-time favorite cheese in the world. Give me a good red, a block of the hard stuff and I’m set for the evening 🙂
The Italians do amazing things with pork products. I don’t think I’ve ever met an Italian ham I didn’t like.
If only we could live on a diet of pure pig… What a happy life that would be!!