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Prosciutto
di Parma and Parma Hamrare two registered names for the same product:
hams from specially raised pigs from north-central Italy, cured
in the small prosciuttifici that dot the countryside around
Parma, Italy.
During medieval times, hams from Parma were one
of the delicacies featured on banquet tables. In fact, the pairing
of melon or figs with Prosciutto di Parmar may have roots in the
Roman custom of starting meals with fruit.
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, Parmas 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 legal requirements concerning the origin of
the pigs and the place of curing are based on the principlesometimes
called terroir, that soil, plant life, climate and traditional
production methods interact to create a product with qualities
that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Every ham must meet rigorous
standards set and enforced by the Consorzio del Prosciutto
di Parma, an association of more than two hundred producers,
before earning the right to bear the five-point ducal crown mark.
Because every step is documented, the production process is completely
traceable.
Four ingredients are essential to the production
of Prosciutto di Parma: Italian pigs, salt, air and time. Prosciutto
di Parma is an all-natural ham--additives such as sugar, spices,
smoke, water and nitrites are prohibited. The curing is controlled
carefully so that the ham absorbs only enough salt to preserve
it. By the end, a trimmed ham will have lost more than a quarter
of its weight through moisture loss, helping to concentrate the
flavor. The meat becomes tender and the distinctive aroma and
flavor of Prosciutto di Parma emerge.
 
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