a Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Vacation
So, I love cheese. It’s kind of my thing. In my fridge right now, there are no less than five different types of cheese…and TBH, not much else. At a job I had a few years back, my boss brought me instead of cake for my birthday. So of course, I immediately said sí to an invitation to visit Parma, Italy to learn all about how Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is actually made.
Located about an hour and a half by car or train from Milan, Parma is part of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, which, if you haven’t heard, is basically a delicious destination. It’s the birthplace of many of Italy’s best-known foods, from balsamic vinegar to mortadella. Each city specializes in something different, and Parma is known for Parma ham, Lambrusco wine, and especially Parmigiano Reggiano.
You’ll notice that I said Parmigiano Reggiano, not parmesan, here. The two terms are not synonymous. While you might picture anything from a hard, aged wheel to the powdery white canned stuff when you hear the word “parmesan,” Parmigiano Reggiano is made following a very specific, centuries-old process that takes at least a year, and it can only be made in Parma and the surrounding region. You know how you can only call sparkling wine “champagne” if it’s made in the Champagne region of France? It’s like that, but for cheese. The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium inspects every single wheel and stamps it with an official seal to make sure it meets quality standards before it can be sold. They even check for counterfeits. This is serious stuff, people!
Obviously, I advise you to eat as many meals as you possibly can when you visit Parma, but food isn’t the only appeal. With about 175,000 residents, Parma is considerably smaller than Italian tourism staples like Rome or Florence. It’s not as hectic (and it probably hasn’t hit your IG feed yet), but it’s still a city with tons of art, history, and picturesque streets. Andiamo!
Full disclosure: The writer received comped travel, hotel…
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