Italy Travelogue: Visiting Parma - The City of Ham & Cheese
Friends were surprised that we chose to visit Parma since it's not a typical tourist destination and it can be quite 'ulu'.
Well, I've got a foodie husband who was excited to visit the city where Proscuitto (i.e. Parma Ham) and Parmigiano Reggiano (i.e. Parmesan Cheese) are produced so we were there for 2 nights.
My friends were right though. There were few attractions in Parma and not much to do. Many of the restaurants were fully booked on our first night there. When we finally found one that had vacancies for us, the food wasn't anything to shout about even though it was akin to atas fine dining.
There were less tourists as well so we do get stared at more often by the locals. Parma was also less clean and well maintained compared to other cities. Nonetheless, I guess the less tourists there are in a city, the more local and real it becomes.
Parmesan Cheese Tour by Parma Look
The best thing we did in Parma was to go on a Parmigiano Reggiano (i.e. Parmesan Cheese) Factory Tour by Parma Look.
While planning for this trip, I came across a Tik Tok video of a lady recommending this tour and I thought it was eye-opening so I signed YX and I up for it even though it was not cheap, i.e. 50 euros per pax.
This half-day tour was super insightful and so fun! Without it, our visit to Parma would be a major downer.
We were picked up by a shuttle van from a hotel next to ours and driven to the cheese factory to watch the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. We were provided with a hair net before entering the factory so that we could wear them for hygiene purposes.
Only 3 ingredients are required to produce Parmigiano Reggiano - fresh cow's milk, salt and rennet (enzyme that helps with curdling). There was even a cow farm next door to provide milk supply for the cheese. I learnt that there are 4 breeds of cows, and their milk tastes different depending on the breed of cow it came from.
Making cheese looks like an entire physical workout altogether. It was fascinating to watch the staff transform a ball of Parmigiano Reggiano into a cheese wheel.
We were then brought to a room to see cheese wheels submerged in a bath of water and salt. This is part of a salting process to draw out water and eventually 'harden' the cheese. Thereafter, they will be transported to the final room - the cheese heaven.
Super thrilling to see gigantic cheese wheels stacked all the way to the ceiling and arranged according to their ages. The room smelled fabulous!
After 12 months of ageing, the staff would check the cheese for defects by tapping it with a hammer and detecting 'hollow' sounds. Should the cheese contain some defects (e.g. air bubbles within the cheese), they'll be labeled as a lower grade (i.e. Mezzano or medium-grade) and sold at discounted prices to restaurants or supermarkets.
Did you know that the cheese tastes different depending on their ages?
We tried a 22 month old cheese and a 30 month old cheese and I much prefer the taste of the younger cheese!
We eventually bought a 22 month old Parmigiano Reggiano back to Singapore, which YX grates for our pasta meals.
Parma Ham
While we didn't go to a Proscuitto (i.e. Parma Ham) Factory Tour, there were plenty of shops selling Parma Ham.
YX was stoked to find a vacuum-sealed Parma Ham which we could buy back to Singapore. It was reasonably priced and at a good size so YX's happy. Look at his ecstatic face!
Bombe - Strada Luigi Carlo Farini 19/a, 43121, Parma, Italy
Since our meals at Parma were so-so and the salad bowls from the supermarket tasted better, I don't have much food recommendations.
What a surprise considering that Parma is known as the 'City of Food'. I've honestly had better food in Milan and Florence.
I do have a dessert cafe to recommend though, which is Bombe.
They are pretty popular in the vicinity because they sell lovely cakes, tarts and pastries. Their chocolate cake was decadent! Even the dog was excited over our desserts. :P
By the way, it's very common to see locals bringing their dogs into cafes and trains. The locals here are so big on owning dogs that everyday, I'm floored by the number of dog breeds I see. I guess that's what makes Italy interesting.
Short entry but that's all for Parma! I guess if you love ham and cheese, Parma is worth visiting for a day trip and I would highly recommend booking a food tour experience in advance.
Click on the 'Italy' tag below to read my other Italy travelogues! I'll be writing about one of my favourite Italian places, Cinque Terre, next!
Disclaimer: This is a personal, non-sponsored post. Reviews are based on personal experiences.