Paul & Lauren’s Travels

Just when we thought that winter, the city and all that greyness was too much, spring break in the mountains of Bologna was able to turn everything around. We camped at a farm, in the mountains near Sasso Marconi, where we could camp for free in return for eating at their restaurant or purchasing their produce. Some days we rested, others we drove through Emilia Romagna enjoying the sights of beautiful, old city centres and visiting specialty food producers of the region.

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Like all great, traditional food products from Emilia Romagna, Parma ham is a simple product that has been prepared masterfully and slowly. We took a lead from our friend Alfonso and went for a drive into the hills of Parma in search of the secrets behind the most famous of Parma hams, Prosciutto. As it turned out, we were given a personal tour of the multi-million factory by the owner and founder himself.

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During Lauren’s first visit to Italy I received a call from her, she was all excited about her visit to a Balsamic vinegar producer and I just couldn’t understand why … until she came home with the goods! It turns out that the Balsamic vinegar I’d grown accustomed was a poor cousin to a much larger, and more exquisite, family tree. Thick, rich, sweet and complex, the real Balsamico is aged up to 25 years and is practically worth it’s weight in gold.

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We’re all familiar with the bile-like aroma that eminated from a white powder some adult convinced us tasted much better than it smelt, as we dusted it over our spag-bol as a child; I’m talking about Parmesan cheese. Parmesan cheese, as we know it, is to Parmigiano Reggiano as instant coffee is to freshly brewed espresso; mass production to craftsmanship. Allow me to introduce Parmigiano Reggiano. 

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