Parma Cooking Experience with a Local, with Optional Parmigiano Reggiano Making Tour - Day Trip

Traveling Spoon

Amalia lives in her historic 18th century home that has been in her family since her grandparents bought it after the second World War. Now that her children have left home, she is embarking on a new culinary journey to teach travelers her family recipes. A former arts and literature teacher, Amalia is passionate about cooking - she believes cooking is an art and that food is a part of our history. Sharing the history of her regional food is a creative expression of her soul. Amalia learned to cook as a child from her mother and loves to showcase her mother’s recipes, specifically that of tortelli d’erbette, a traditional pasta eaten in Parma. Parmisans still celebrate the summer solstice by their ritual of eating tortelli and she is excited to share this dish with travelers. Amalia lives in a beautiful home and has a few rooms on the ground floor that she rents out. Amalia often hosts along with her friend Teresa who she has known since high school. Teresa is a food and wine writer and restaurant critic and together they enjoy hosting travelers over food. Amalia’s husband owns a dairy and sells Parmigiano Reggiano produced from the milk from his farm. Start your culinary experience by picking a few herbs from Amalia’s garden before joining her at her modern kitchen to learn to cook regional Parma dishes from her mother’s recipes. Your cooking demonstration involves watching your host prepare tortelli and dessert and will last about 2 hours. Please note that this is not a hands-on cooking class but a cooking demonstration where you will sit at the dining table and watch Amalia create typical Parma dishes from scratch. Enjoy learning about the techniques involved in making a traditional Parma pasta before you share a homemade regional Italian meal together. Please note that some of the dishes for your meal may have been prepared in advance. Your meal will include an antipasto, a pasta, a meat main and a seasonal side vegetable. Your menu will include an antipasto such as Parma ham and Parmigiano cheese (that her family produces), tortelli d’erbette (a typical Parma pasta stuffed with ricotta, parmesan and green, leafy bietola), a main of beef carpaccio or pollo scallopini in a white wine sauce and a side of verdure grigliate (grilled vegetables) or a fresh tomato and eggplant salad. End you meal with a sweet dessert of crostata di marmellate (prune or apricot tart) and torta con ricotta con frutti di bosco. Amalia also offers and optional farm tour add-on where you can enjoy a private tour their Parmigiano Reggiano cheese-making facility.

Vacation Inclusions

• Cooking Class
• Market Tour (optional)
• Lunch (10:30-2:30pm Cooking Lesson and Meal, 9am-2pm Market Tour, Cooking Lesson and Meal)
• Vegetarian Options available
• Alcohol available

Featured Destinations

Parma Parma When thinking of Parma, the first thing that comes to mind is its famous food: prosciutto di Parma; and Parmigiano reggiano cheese in particular. Home to Barillo pasta, the town is renown for its culinary delights overall. Visit Parma's various cheese factories to get a first-hand look at how Parmigiano is made and sampling, as well. The town is a feast for all senses; opera, art and history buffs will find countless ways to indulge their interests. Festival Verdi celebrates Giuseppe Verdi's musical legacy every October, and at the Piazza Duomo, one can view the medieval baptistry done by Benedetto Antelami, where rosso di Verona (pink marble) shifts tones depending on the time of day and degree of sunlight. Frescoes by Corregio and Antelami decorate the interior of the Duomo. For a broader exploration of European art masters, visit the Galleria Nazionale in the Palazzo della Pilotta, noting artworks by Pamigianino, da Vinci, Van Dyck, Tiepolo and more. Relax from site-seeing at the many picturesque cafes for siesta, or treat yourself to shopping at the many boutiques throughout town.

Destination Guide

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