Europe 2022 Day #3 “How About Some Bologna and Cheese?”  Parma and Bologna, Italy 10/8/2022

We arose early this morning to meet our driver (ironically named Roberto) for our 90-minute drive to Parma.  There we were taken to a cheese factory to learn how to make cheese. This was very timely because Patrice and I are thinking of buying some farmland in Wisconsin and producing cheese during our twilight years.  It took me a while to catch on but we went to Parma for cheese making because of Parmesan cheese.  Apparently, the city is also known for its ham.  Hmmm ham and cheese, I wonder if anyone has ever tried to combine them?  Maybe a sandwich?

The tour of the cheese factory was amazing.  We got to see the large vats in which all the ingredients (milk and the enzyme rennet is all there is).  Watch this video and observe the cheese makers touching the cheese with their hands.  These people apparently never ever touch any of their body parts and wash their hands at least once a week.  Remember this video the next time you decide to eat any cheese.  https://youtube.com/shorts/FJKDdt_KgBE

After the cheese balls are made the master cheese cutter “cuts the cheese”.  When I was 12 years old that sentence would have cracked me up.  Patrice can attest that when I just wrote this section I couldn’t stop laughing.  I guess I still am a 12-year-old at heart.  Speaking of saying funny things on my blog, my friend, Mike, might be getting blocked from the blog site.  He has once again broken the blog rule prohibiting anyone from being funnier than me. Please see his comment about The Last Supper, it made me laugh out loud. 

Back to the guy cutting the cheese (I am embarrassed to admit it but I am still giggling).  After that, they put the cheese in molds and bathed it in salt water to help preserve the product.  The cheese needs to be flipped on a regular basis in order to make sure that the salt is distributed evenly.  Watch this video where our spectacular guide Elizabeth demonstrates how the cheese is flipped. https://youtube.com/shorts/LEvhZVHkTfI

The cheese is stored for a minimum of 12 months prior to being sold.  We were told that the cheese can remain like this forever without the need for refrigeration.   This is what they look like prior to being further sliced for distribution. 

Prior to entering the cheese factory, they try to prevent you from taking photos by making you dress up like total geeks in front of the cheese.  Obviously, they didn’t know how dedicated I am to my blog followers, see below.

After the cheese factory, we went to a place where they make balsamic vinegar.  This was informative but since we didn’t see any of the actual work it was not as interesting.   We then went to a prosciutto-making factory.  It too was closed but we did get to see the hams in their various stages of aging.  

After the final tour, we were treated to a lunch of (you guessed it) prosciutto and cheese.  Very yummy indeed.  Everyone had a great time at lunch except for the pigs.

After lunch, we were driven to Bologna.  We are going to chill for a while. See you tomorrow.

Ciao