Continental Classics: Parma Ham

Think all prosciutto is born equal? Think again. Set foot in Parma, Italy’s ‘food valley’, and you’ll see why its iconic cured ham is appreciated across the world. Here, the dry, fragrant air of the hills and an ancient heritage combine to create the optimum conditions to create a classic charcuterie which is at once sweet, salty and undeniably satisfying.

Together with Parma’s other most famous export, Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma has earned the city a legendary status in the food world – no wonder it’s now in the running to be awarded UNESCO’s coveted title of City of Gastronomy at the end of this year. Today, Parma is as vibrant as you would hope for from a region which such revered cultural icons as Verdi and Correggio once called home, and the city’s impressive architecture plays host to the Parma Ham Festival every year – a lively celebration of this internationally-favoured food.

A timeless favourite
The fact that Parma Ham has retained its popularity through the ages demonstrates its makers’ passion for ancient traditions, which have been handed down from generation to generation. Indeed, the attention to detail demonstrated throughout its creation – from the selection of the pigs (heavy Italian breeds are used, Large White, Landrace and Duroc, which come exclusively from 10 regions of central northern Italy and feed on barley, maize and whey from the production of Parmigiano Reggiano) to the salting and maturing of the meat – is largely to thank for its timeless popularity. Not one single additive or preservative is used in the production of Parma Ham; its only ingredients are Italian pork, the unique geographical characteristics of the Parma region and the skill of master salters, making it an ideal product for discerning consumers.

Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma
The Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma is an organisation of Parma Ham producers who safeguard the time-honoured production processes in order to guarantee a product of indisputably high quality. It’s this conscientiousness which ensures that the prosciutto reaches the consumer in the best incarnation possible. The Consortium plays a huge part in the production of Parma Ham, from the selection of the breed of hog used and its breeding techniques, to the origin of the raw materials, geographical production boundaries and final characteristics of the end product – only once it has successfully passed this rigorous checklist will it be marked with the iconic fire brand.

Fact File

- The Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma was set up in 1963

- The European Union awarded Prosciutto di Parma PDO status in 1996

- To be branded as Parma Ham, the prosciutto must be produced in the province of Parma lying at least 5km from the south of the via Emilia, bounded to the east by the river Enza and to the west by the Stirrone torrent, and up to an altitude of 900m

- The distinct flavour of Prosciutto di Parma is down to the fragrant air of the region; the scent of the local chestnut woods combine with the aroma of the nearby pine forests and salty air of the Versilia sea winds.

- It has been claimed that the great Hannibal, after his victorious battle on the Trebbia in 217BC, came to Parma and was fed salted pigs legs which had been brought from secret hiding places by local country dwellers.