Parma: Underrated Italian City Is Destination For Cheese Lovers | EUROtoday

With a final title like Bologna, I suppose I shouldn’t be stunned that I’m certainly one of many Italian Americans who love touring to “Il Bel Paese.” Italy is by far my most-visited vacation spot exterior the United States, and I’ve been lucky to spend time in eight of the nation’s 20 areas.

Although scrumptious meals can be found in abundance throughout Italy, I lately explored an space that ought to in all probability be excessive up on cheese lovers’ journey bucket lists: Parma.

As you would possibly’ve deduced, Parma ― together with its neighbor Reggio Emilia ― is the namesake of the beloved exhausting cheese Parmigiano Reggiano. The so-called “king of cheeses” can, in reality, solely be legally produced underneath that title in these two provinces, plus Modena, Mantova and Bologna.

It’s no secret that Parmigiano Reggiano is having a second, discovering its approach into headlines (and bellies) world wide. This previous November, information broke that United Talent Agency had signed the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium to assist place the cheese in motion pictures and reveals and lift consciousness about these official merchandise.

That got here simply two months after the governing physique for the Italian cheese introduced a strategic partnership with the New York Jets soccer workforce ― an initiative that included stadium concession choices, video segments and extra.

Around the 2024 Paris Olympics, Parmigiano Reggiano additionally made waves as followers of Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa found her earlier sponsorship cope with the consortium ― full with superb pictures of the athlete posing with huge wheels of cheese. (Whether we’ll be seeing extra cheese-y sponsorships on the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics stays to be seen, however given the host location and the consortium’s PR push, the synergy feels virtually inevitable.)

With protein’s dominance in our tradition, the cheese is getting additional consideration for its naturally excessive protein content material. Italian scientists have revealed research highlighting the well being advantages of genuine Parmigiano Reggiano.

And then there are the seemingly countless social media movies of mouthwatering pasta ready in hollowed-out wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano tableside at eating places and in residence kitchens. The Italian brainrot pattern naturally featured a “Parmigiano” character as nicely.

I used to be pumped to go to the house of the king of cheeses in Parma, a stunning province and metropolis in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna area. Despite its world-famous meals exports, Parma nonetheless flies underneath the radar in comparison with flashier Italian locations that dominate most itineraries, like Florence, Rome and Venice. And because it seems, there’s a lot to do there past stuffing your face with dairy goodness.

Reaching Parma is pretty straightforward. You can drive from Milan in lower than two hours or take the practice from many locations round Italy, together with Milan, Bologna, Florence, Venice and extra. The practice station was a breezy stroll to the middle of the motion and the entire metropolis felt very walkable.

As the primary Italian vacation spot to earn UNESCO’s “City of Gastronomy” title, Parma is unsurprisingly full of wonderful eateries. I had nice multi-course meals at Cortex and Croce di Malta, wine and snacks at Tra L’uss e L’asa and Tabarro, and sandwiches at Pepen and Bel Grano Focaccia. Other eating places beneficial by locals on the town included Osteria del 36, Ombre Rosse, Ristorante Cocchi, Trattoria Corrieri and Trattoria del Tribunale.

In the broader province of Parma, I dined at Trattoria Antichi Sapori, Al Vedel and Trattoria Ai Due Platani. But essentially the most thrilling cease was Azienda Agricola Bertinelli, a family-owned dairy that provides Parmigiano Reggiano tastings and excursions to coach guests concerning the manufacturing course of behind this extremely regulated cheese.

Indeed, genuine Parmigiano Reggiano can solely be made utilizing three substances: uncooked cow’s milk, salt and rennet. Each wheel is aged for at least 12 months, with most varieties available on the market aged between 24 and 36 months.

Beyond the cheese, Parma’s wealthy meals tradition additionally facilities on the long-lasting Prosciutto di Parma and highly-prized Culatello di Zibello, aka the “king of salumi” ― a uncommon cured meat that’s aged in a pig’s bladder. Cold cuts within the province are sometimes served with torta fritta, a puffy fried dough.

Local eating places have a tendency to supply tortelli d’erbetta (pasta full of cheese and greens), anolini in brodo (beef-filled pasta in broth) and a minced horse meat delicacy often called caval pist.

Although my Parma go to understandably centered round meals, I additionally took a while to discover the historical past of the town and province in between meals.

The Palazzo della Pilotta complicated homes a number of attention-grabbing museums and websites, together with the National Gallery of Parma, the National Archaeological Museum and the Bodoni Museum. The Palatina Library is especially beautiful, as is the picket Farnese Theater, one of many largest baroque theaters in Europe.

Just throughout the road is the Glauco Lombardi Museum, a singular museum that includes private belongings and objects associated to the life and occasions of Napoleon’s second spouse, Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma. I fittingly adopted my go to with a mini “Duchess of Parma” cake at a close-by cafe referred to as San Biagio.

The spectacular Parma Cathedral and octagonal baptistery subsequent door had been additionally worthwhile stops on my journey. The identical goes for the Correggio frescoes within the former Monastery of San Paolo.

And I loved strolling the Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi and Parco Ducale within the afternoons, embracing the “slow travel” ethos and getting an actual really feel for the town.

Visitors to Parma may also add stops in different elements of the Emilia-Romagna area or plan a couple of straightforward half-day jaunts. I visited a small balsamic vinegar producer, Acetaia di Giorgio, in Modena and had lunch on the Michelin-starred Osteria del Viandante in Reggio Emilia. Many folks additionally add within the Ferrari and Lamborghini museum experiences as nicely.

At a time when overtourism is straining locations like Florence, Rome, Venice and the Amalfi Coast, vacationers craving a soothing and genuine Italian expertise would possibly need to take into account including Parma to their itineraries. And if journey budgets are tight, a style of actual Parmigiano Reggiano at residence may assist scratch the itch within the meantime.