Featured Product ~ Prosciutto di Parma ~ Rosa dell'Angelo Tour

We recently spent five nights in Emilia Romagna, split between Bologna, Modena, and Parma. Although I have traveled across Italy extensively over the years, this is one region that I really have never spent any time in so I wanted to change that. Emilia Romagna is an exceptional region as it is the producer of balsamic vinegar, Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, and amazing cold meat products such as mortadella, and Prosciutto di Parma. This region is also famous for tender stuffed pasta such as tortellini and cappelletti. Apart from exploring the area along with the three cities that we chose to stay in, I wanted to visit the factories and find out exactly how balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, and prosciutto is made, so I booked three different tours.

Prosciutto di Parma can only be produced from the hind legs of specially selected heritage pigs according to the highest standards, on which they are monitored, inspected, and traced, approved by the Consorzio. The pigs used to make Prosciutto di Parma are raised in a specific geographic area around the city of Parma, within Emilia Romagna, where the mountain air is sweet, dry and aromatic. By law, Prosciutto di Parma can only be made in the hills around Parma, as the unique conditions of the region have made it possible to produce the highest quality hams. Prosciutto produced in the same region but not meeting all the requirements set by the Consorzio, cannot be branded with the official certification mark – the Parma Crown.

I booked a tour at Rosa dell’Angelo with Monica Cavagni to learn how they make their famous prosciutto as it is a very unique factory that uses the meat from an ancient local breed of black pigs that had become almost extinct in recent years. Through careful breeding, these pigs are allowed to roam free in the mountains and woods, and these pigs dine on fresh grass, corn, barley, wheat, beans, berries, acorns, and roots. The factory also uses an ancient method of preparing the prosciutto by processing it by hand using just salt and a long seasoning. Along with prosciutto, Rosa dell’Angelo also makes many other cured meat products that they sell in their store as well as in many local stores.

The tour includes a full explanation of the process required in making prosciutto, along with a walk through the different parts of the factory to observe all the stages involved. After the tour, we enjoyed a prosciutto tasting in their Prosciutto Bar, which is a small restaurant with a limited menu that highlights all of the Rosa dell’Angelo products. It was a very enjoyable and informative tour, and it was evident that Monica is very passionate about Rosa dell’Angelo prosciutto. I highly recommend both the tour and Rosa dell’Angelo products if you are in the Parma region.

Rosa dell’Angelo Prosciutto Bar
Via per Parma 6
43029 TRAVERSETOLO PARMA – ITALY
+39 0521 343924
MON / FRI 09:00 – 15:00
SAT / SUN CLOSED
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