This was a travel day, as we were changing cities and hotels. We had an early wake up call: on the bus by 7:00 AM. We had to be at a technical school in time to make cheese. The milk is delivered daily, and the cheese must be made daily, even on a Sunday.
There are technical schools offering courses in all areas of study, and this agricultural school teaches students to make the local Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Giuseppe, a retired cheese maker, is in charge of the program, and today we’re visiting to watch the process. We arrived a little before 8:00, just as the milkman made his daily delivery. Giuseppe was aided by our guide Alice, who grew up on a farm and whose mother is a veterinarian. She even has her own cow, so she’s acquainted with farm life. She’s also learned on the job from Giuseppe and served as our translator.
Guiseppe kept stirring until the cheese was formed, which took quite a long time. While we were waiting, we went to other areas of the room to see other other steps in the process.
Alice explained the labeling, after the cheese was ready and about to be stored.
(Side note: Doesn’t she look like a young Julia Roberts?)
We returned to watch the men roll the cheese with cheesecake, cut the ball in half, re-form it and put the two circles in molds.
We were taken to the storage rooms to see the wheels of cheese. The cheese must be aged at least a year before attempting to eat it and it must be tested by the government and certified that it is really Parmigiano-Reggiano, from the area. Each wheel is dated.
Suppose the government indicates that the cheese does not pass the test to be authentic? It can be given a lesser designation, and at the worst, be sold in the bargain bin at the local supermarket, but it can’t be called Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese because it didn’t live up to the standards..
Our last stop was tasting, where we tasted cheese aged 12 months, 24 months and 36 months I preferred the 24 month cheese. A tradition is to put honey on the cheese or with cheese and crackers. This school also makes ricotta cheese, which does not have to be made daily; we tasted a dessert with local cut up fruit in the ricotta and a little added sugar. There is a small school store which sells local produce, honey, and cheese.
Giuseppe spoke passionately about teaching young people and the importance of keeping the tradition alive. He already retired from his career in the factory making cheese but prefers the hands-on personal method with the instruction of the young people at the school. He’s a man with a passion. We reluctantly said goodbye and thanked him for his hospitality.
We were back on the bus and on the road for an hour more for our next visit: to Villa Bianchi, near Modena, to visit the Biancardi family, a balsamic vinegar maker. Their son Emilio greeted us. He was our host for the visit.
We started outside, with the grapes on the vine.
This family has been making balsamic vinegar for centuries, though World War II stopped the progress when their house, but not the barrels of vinegar, was damaged. They moved to this beautiful villa which was owned by the ruling family of Modena. The place is fantastic but requires a lot of work to maintain.
We took a small four person elevator to the top floor, where the barrels are stored in the attic.
The process is deceptively easy: grow the grapes, crush the grapes, boil the grapes, seal in wood containers and keep for years and years. The aging process is the key; don’t even think of using balsamic vinegar for six years or more. The longer it ages, the better it will be. It is labeled as a “traditional balsamic”, indicating that the same process has been carried on from one generation to the next. We started tasting the newest – and worst – balsamic, and continued to the oldest, a smooth, flavorful sweet vinegar. It was delicious, even on its own. There is some mixing in the process, where some younger liquid is put into aged liquid but most of the original remains in the barrels. The barrels of vinegar compete with beamed ceilings and rooms filled with family memorabilia.
Our ” light lunch”, served in the elegant dining room of the villa, was actually substantial, consisting of recipes which included balsamic, with tomatoes, in a zucchini-Parmesan quiche, and other dishes. The pièce de résistance was a dessert of vanilla gelati with very aged balsamic sprinkled over the top. The dining room was gorgeous and we were charmed by the placemats, which explains the vinegar making process. They were made by Emilio’s mother, who is an art teacher.
The lunch was made by Emilio’s wife, who was not in the room. We could, however, hear her playing Gershwin on the piano in a nearby room.
Again we reluctantly bid arrivederci to our host and one of his cats, who came to visit. and thanked them for their hospitality.
It took another hour or so to get to Parma, where we checked into the ultra-modern hotel in a renovated area just outside the historical center, once the site of the Barilla pasta factory. We had extra time, so we strolled into town for some cafe-sitting at the main square, Piazza Garibaldi. As luck would have it, there was a Palio going in – medieval festival – so we were able to watch the parade – what a treat!
Sunday evening is pizza night so we went to a popular local spot near the hotel. Ann and I split an individual pizza -doesn’t it look good?- then split a tiramisu, which was made in a glass: same ingredients, different presentation.
Portion control!
We’ve had great weather for touring so far, with highs in the high 60s or low 70s, but rain is expected for tomorrow. We’ll be doing a city tour of Parma followed by free time in the afternoon, with a four course dinner showcasing the culinary delights of the region to end the day. Mamma mía!