ITALIAN DAYS FOOD EXPERIENCE

 The tour I took Wednesday out of Bologna gave me more information on the making of and the labeling of Parmigiano-Reggiano , Aceto Balsamico di Modena, and prosciutto than I would ever need to know.  Our tour guide was Alexandro and he was fantastico.  Made everything "fun, fun, fun".  

I was picked up at the apartment at 7:25 and we headed to the train station to pick up a couple who were arriving from Florence. From there we headed out to the Parmigiano-Reggiano factory around the Modena area. When we arrived there were already a number of people inside getting some words of inspiration from Alexandro.

Here we see the large vats where the cheese is made.  Most of the procedure is done by hand.  There are 350 factoried in the region that make the Parmigiano cheese.  All make it the very same way.  It is strictly regulated by a consortium who makes the rules and inspects the product and certifies it.  If it passes all the inspections it is given the DOP stamp of approval.  

DOP (Denominazione d"Origine Protetta or Protected Desination of Origin) requires specific production and processing techniques for each product.  For a product to quaify for the DOP, each step in the production of the products must be executed in the region of origin.  The products have extremely strict specifications that must be met in each step of the productions which are them examined by experts to ensure quality.  

This gentleman is the only one who can decide when to mix the two vats to make the cheese.  Much has to do with temperature which he feels with his hands.  The temperature must be 150 degrees and the consistency just right.  

The cheese settles to the bottom and these gentleman turn it and turn it in the cheese cloth and than use a machine to lift it out of the vat.  It weighs 220 pounds and will be cut into two rounds.  

The whey that is left will be used to clean the vats, feed pigs, and make ricotta ( not a cheese).

The rounds are than moved to another room where they are put  in these plastic molds and pressed.

They are then placed in a salt bath for 18 days.  The salt penetrates about 5 meters and then takes 18 months to get through to the center.  Only salt from Sicily is used.  Only thing not in the region the cheese is made but is permited to be used by the consortium.  

They are then transfered to these metal molds.  

Here's the cheese, aging.  Just a few rounds!  The cheese is inspected in this room.  The inspector takes a little hammer and pounds on the cheese listening for any air holes.  If he finds any the cheese becomes a grade 2.  Ninety five percent of the rounds are OK and will get the grade 1 designation.  The grade 2 designationed rounds are marked with lines going horizontally around the cheese rind.  It is still a parmigino.  If a rind breaks or there are lots of air pockets it can still be eaten but it not called Parmesano.  The rind can be eaten  and is a perfect teething "ring" for a child.  

Lucky for me I've been working out!  Had to take this round to Alexandro so he could show us what the inspectors do to test for air pockets.  Only 100 pounds.  

Notice the markings on the round.  It includes where it was made, the day, the year, the vat etc.  All information so it can be traced back to the origin if need be.  No horizontal lines so this is a grade 1.  

Here's the big inspection tool. A little hammer.

Here I am doing a little testing.  You can definitely hear the difference if you get a cheese round with air holes.  

Alexandro wanted a "cheesy" pose so here it is!

Love this outfit.  Pleasant change from the black I've been wearing.  Matching hat and shoes also.

Next we went outside and tasted a grade 1 and a grade 2.  Both were very good and some preferred the grade 2 which is a ittle bit more mellow than the very nutty grade 1.  Grade 1 can age for 10years, grade 2 for only 16 months.  There is no lactose in the cheese that has been aged for 24 months and the white spots in the cheese that develop are amino acids.  

After we tasted each we were given little mortadella on facaccia  sandwiches and could select the parmigiano of our choice to top it off.  Italian salami sandwiches were then passed around and again we could choose the cheese of our choice.  Of course to accompany this we had Lambusco ( a sparkling red wine).  Now one would think that would be enough but no!  The sandwiches were plentiful and the trays were passed around and around and around.  The bottles of wine were also passed around.  If we refused Alexandro would look at us and say " No. no, it is the law" and another sandwich would be in our hand.  

After eating maybe only 4 small sandwiches we were given our choice of a sweet.  Delicious croissants filled with Nutella or custard, doughnuts, sweet rolls filled with apricot jam, etc.  Just what we all needed.  we had to eat at least one though - "it is the law"!

John and Kathy, the couple who came from Florence enjoying their sweet rolls.  They were visiting their daughter who was doing a semester abroad studying in Florence.  John's a retired NY policeman who loves to cook and has a great affection for good food and wine!  Really nice couple!

We shed our "blue duds" and headed down the road to visit a Balsamic di Modena factory.  

Most of what we know of balsamic vinegar is not the true balsamic which is controlled by the DOP and is very expensive.  The cost is dear because the process is long and although there are 300 families who make the Balsamic di Modena they don't produce a lot.  And only balsamic that is produced in that region can be labelled Balsamic of Modena. In order to get the DOP stamp they must use grapes from their region.  They pick, press and cook.  The pressed grapes are cooked 25 hours than placed in a batteria which consists of 5 or more barrels.  The barrels are made of different woods - juniper, chestnut, oak, or cherry.  Each type imparting different flavors into the balsamic.  The barrels are anywhere from 150 to 200 years old and when needing to be repaired a specific company is called and goes to the attic to do the repair.  The barrels are open at the top and it is the bacteria and the femenation that makes the balsamic.  

When a child is born in a family a batteria is started for the child.  Thus the making of the Balsamic is passed down to each generation.  Alexandro started a batteria for his daughters when they were born and will get 10 bottles in 12 twelve years to enjoy.  I would say Alexandro is doing quite well in his business to be able to afford two  batteria and have these people take care of it.  

The balsamic can be aged either 12 or 25 years.  The batterias go from large barrels down to very small barrels.  The families only sell off 10% of their production - approximately 1750 gallons a year.  You can only buy DOP Balsamic in the US in one store in NY and one in Chicago.  This is not the balsamic you use on salads but it is used after cooking - used on ice cream, or a few drops on a steak or chicken.  

As the evaporation process takes place the barrels have to be checked and the balsamic is transferred to the next barrel using that glass "straw".  

Again, every barrel is marked.  To get the DOP stamp the owner must take the balsamic to the inspectors who will then taste it and if five inspectors agree  it is then given the DOP stamp of approval.  

We tasted three different balsamics.  The first one was a balsamic condiment.  (The owners sell this commercially to make money.  They don't make a lot on the DOP Balsamic because of the overhead and the length of time and such it takes to make it before they can sell it. )This would be used as a salad dressing.  Has a rather sharp, acidic taste.  The 12 year and 25 year were more round, and the consistency is thick - like molasses.  The 12 year bottle (100 m) sold for 40 euro's and the 25 year old , same size, sold for 75 euro' here at the factory.   The condiment was 6 euro's.  

We each had a small spoonful of each and then we had some with a cup of ricotta and lastly a cup of ice cream.  

This was the owner

We left the villa and headed out to the prosciutto factory.  This sculpture was on one of the round abouts.  Maybe a vinegar bottle?

We didn't get to see the pigs.  Oh so sad, too bad!  I don't think so!  To qualify for the DOP stamp again the pigs must be Italian pigs, they must weigh 340 pounds, they are fed only corn, barley, and whey, males are castrated, females cannot be mothers.  They use only the hind legs to make the prosciutto. There are only 11 factories in the Modena region.  In this factory and in the others they also follow the same process for what is called International or private prosciutto.  Since the pigs do not come from Italy or this region the prosciutto will not get the DOP stamp.  The leg will have a stamp which tells what country the pig is from.  

A few hind quarters just hanging around.  

John and Kathy without the blue garb. 

After hanging for some time they are then put in a temperature controlled room and salted for 20 days. The salt is changed after 10.  They are then moved to another space  to let the salt penetrate into the meat.  It stays there for 70 days.  It almost looks like it is frozen when you see it at this stage.  

The final step is to cover the meat and the bone with a mixture of rice flower, lard, and white pepper.  This must be done by hand if DOP.  If its International or private it can be painted with a brush.  As with all DOP products it is throughly marked so that it can be traced back to the very pig that gave its life.  

Yup, that's me with 22,000 legs of prosciutto.   

The inspectors test this product by smell.  A small iinstrument is inserted into the leg and then passes under the nose of the inspectors and if it passes the smell test it is given the DOP stamp.

Now for my favorite part.  Tasting!

You can't believe how good this prosciutto was and the trays were refilleld and passed and around.  

Again,  there were unlimited quantities of lambursco to go along with it.   No going hungry or thirsty on this tour.  

We just made our selves comfortable.  It was a wonder any of us were able to get up after eating all we did.  But we had to get to the restaurant and have our lunch.  ( We looked a little like a funeral procession when we parked at the factories.  Three big, black mercedes vans.)  Again, Alexandro must be doing well.  

We went to an organic farm restaurant which also has a small B&B (5 rooms) and non- chlorinated swimming pool.  

You know you're in Italy when you see the hands in these pictures.  The Italians talk as much with their hands as their mouths.  

We're just getting settled at our table.  

Our first course - pasta flowers with a cream sauce...

second course - some type of whole wheat noodle with asparagus and pancetta... ( almost forgot to snap a picture of this dish before it disappeared.  

third course - tagliatelle with artichoke and rabbit

  

a lovely green salad

potatoes and broccoli

beef cheeks

and lots of wine - one white to begin with and 3 different reds.  All organic. 

a little dessert

Duru, a young lady from turkey, travelliing wih her mother, Sibel loved the marscapone and went down the table to help everyone clean their plate of the cream.  

The group was so nice - very diverse ( people from England, Sweden, DC, NY, Turkey, etc. )    And we had as advertised - fun! fun! fun!

There was much more information and detail given out in each of the production factories by Alexandro but I just gave you a 25 cent version of the tour.  To know all that I know you can sign up for the tour next time you're in Itay and get the full 150 euro's worth of info.  I found the tour on Trip Advisor.