Villani Prosciutto di Parma 16 months

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

High quality and gluten-free, Villani Italian cured meats are trimmed and cleaned to the highest standards. The Villani Prosciutto di Parma is very carefully salted with great attention to detail by salting masters in the Villani factory, and undergoes a gradual curing for 15 months. A combination of this meticulousness and the air of the Parma hills lends this meat a very unique taste.

It has a distinct fragrance, with a very soft and tender texture. To taste, it is delicate and light, with an unrivaled sweetness.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

The Villani Prosciutto di Parma is delivered to you sliced. This cold cut is a wonderful addition to your charcuterie. Make some great appetizers by wrapping prosciutto around freshly sliced cantaloupe. Another antipasto option is sliding some prosciutto onto a skewer, with bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella), fresh basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes. So easy, but so delicious!

If you want something more filling, an easy panino (sandwich, in Italian) is the way to go! On fresh, crusty bread, layer arugula, Villani Prosciutto di Parma, and shaved parmesan. Drizzle with a combination of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and some freshly cracked pepper. Voila!

THE EQUILIBRIUM OF TRADITION AND MODERNITY

Founded in 1886 in Castelnuovo Rangone, near Modena, Villani was properly established when Ernesta and Costante Villani bought a building in the town center. They were already marketing dry-cured ham, and with this venture, they expanded to producing salami, coppa, bacon, mortadella, and cooked ham.

In the 1930s, the company was already well into exporting. And Giuseppe, their son (one of eleven) had gotten an idea when he returned from the States. Drying hangers would revolutionize dry-cured pork production processes.

The idea was quickly adopted by more and more charcuterie producers, and these mobile hangers are still used today as basis for the modern drying process. But Giuseppe’s passion did not stop there. He went all over Italy, searching for new regional recipes and methods, gathering experience along the way. Eventually, Villani expanded their production to more regional specialties, sold both worldwide and in the areas where the recipes originated, which served as great recognition and appreciation for the quality of their meats.

Villani now was five processing sites, catered to making different meats according to DOP and IGP labels. The meats are still made with traditional means—manual skills fundamental to the quality, but they have also adapted to modern systems and research. The family’s coexisting spirits of tradition and modernity allowed the company to bloom into what it is now.

Storage Instructions

Vacuum-sealed packs of hand-carved cured meats can last up to five months in the refrigerator (never the freezer). Once the pack is opened, they’re best enjoyed within the day.