One of the earliest references to ham production in Parma appeared about 100 B.C. in the writings of Cato, who described the practice of burying pork legs in barrels filled with salt. The meat was then dried and smoked. As the process of making air-cured Parma Ham® was refined, the smoking step was discontinued.
During classical times, hams from Parma were one of the delicacies featured on banquet tables. In fact, the pairing of melon or figs with Prosciutto di Parma® may have roots in the Roman custom of starting meals with fruit.
Nearly one thousand years ago, Hannibal is believed to have stopped north of Parma to fortify himself and his troops with local wine, bread and the ancestor of today’s Prosciutto di Parma®.
On the main door of Parma’s 13th-century cathedral is a sculpture depicting the months of the year. November is identified by the killing of a pig.
Traditionally, every Parma family in the countryside kept a pig, which was butchered in late fall. Most parts were preserved, but this was also a time of feasting on every part of the pig. The winter festival called the “maialata” continues to be celebrated as a time when area restaurants serve all manner of pork specialties.
Until the 19th century, private homes were pressed into service during the curing season. With hams suspended from ceilings in every room, Parma’s inhabitants literally ate, slept and breathed ham! Eventually, the home drying was supplanted by “apartment houses” with long narrow windows that opened to allow fresh air to circulate around the hams.
The five-pointed ducal crown is a reminder of the Duchy of Parma, which came into being with the Farnese family in the 15th century and continued under the regimes of the Bourbons, Napoleon and the Austrian Duchess Maria Luigia. Parma became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1859.
In Parma and elsewhere in Italy, a typical serving of Prosciutto di Parma® consists of three or four slices draped artfully on a plate—with bread and perhaps a glass of dry Malvasia, the slightly sparkling white wine of the region.
Parma’s incomparable ham comes from a region known for other prestigious products, most notably Parmigiano-Reggiano® cheese and balsamic vinegar. Centered between Tuscany and the Veneto, Emilia-Romagna boasts exceptionally rich and varied culinary traditions. Typical dishes include tagliatelle with ragu Bolognese, vegetables pickled in balsamic vinegar and torta fritta (fried bread dough) wrapped around paper-thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma®.
