Parma, capital of, duh, Parma ham, of parmesan cheese, of theater and opera. Wine...not so much; it's the simple, slightly fizzy red called Lambrusco, but, whaddya know, it goes great with Parma ham.
And go it does at the Corale G. Verdi, a century-old restaurant and music venue where dinner guests are treated to occasional operatic blasts by glee club members (think Seattle Mens Chorus). Prosciutto and other cured meats are served by a phalanx of cheerful waiters, and the chef , bringing out piping hot pillowcases of fried dough, slaps your hand if you're crass enough to be nibbling plain bread. A six-course dinner gets pricey, but you can have just the salumi misti and the torta fritta for 13 euros, well under 20 bucks.
More from Emilia Romagna coming up all week.
I like how a Google ad for "prosciutto.com" appears above this article. what stranger times we live in! I'm hungry now. -A
I'm envious! I had a dinner in Parma a couple of years ago. They brought out an antipasti misti with various cheeses and meats. One item was this rich, creamy, wonderful white cheese, or so I thought. I asked the waiter what kind it was, and he replied, "lardo". Oh, and the culatello was the best I've ever tasted. Buon apetito!
Hamming the globe again are we? Ronald, you really know how to make a girl hungry! Can't wait to see more pics and hear more! Ciao, Lisa