Emilia Delizia frequently asked questions about our foodie and wine exploration.
Where can I see the Parmesan cheese production?
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is produced in 5 provinces in Italy, but the main areas are Modena, Parma, or Reggio Emilia. Therefore if the cheese production is one of your priorities you should stay in on the of the three town mentioned above.
What time the cheese production starts?
The best time to see the production is at about 8.30, this means that you have to be at the producers at this time, if you are staying in Bologna you will have to leave your hotel at 7.15 am, if you are in Modena, Parma or Reggio Emilia you need to leave at 8.15 am. Of course it is possible to arrive later than that, until 9 am or 9.15 is still enough to catch some of the production, however the later you arrive the least you will see.
Can I see the Parmesan production in the afternoon?
Essentially the cheese is produced once a day, 365 days a year and it is done in the morning only.
What days can I do the tour?
It depends on what you want to see. Emilia Delizia is always open to business, we can organise the tours on Saturdays or Sundays or national holidays.
I am traveling alone, can I join?
We welcome everyone to our tours, however to start a tour we need at least 2 people, if you are traveling alone it is best to email us just close to the date in order to see if you have a group.
Can you customize a tour for my group/family/office colleagues?
Yes we specialize in tailor made custom tours, from 2 to 100 people, we can accommodate any size, we are flexible in terms of timing, dates and pricing structure.
Am carving from a cruise ship from Ravenna or other ports in Italy, can I do a tour?
Yes it is possible to organise the sport car tour or the gourmet tour from Ravenna, however it is best to limit the visits to 2 stops as the travel distance is longer from Ravenna, and the cruise boats normally leave at 6 pm.
I am looking for the tour prices on your website, but I cannot find any?
Because we organise tailor made activities it is very difficult to add prices on the site, as they would not fit everyone, instead we prefer to quote your tour individually, so please if you are interested please submit a quote request.
What is the difference between Parmesan cheese and other cheeses?
Parmesan cheese is a unique product, the Italian name is Parmigiano Reggiano while it is known with its international name Parmesan, many are trying to copy it and no one will ever succeed. The milk used to make it, need to come from the DOP area, if other milk is used the outcome will be diffent. Grana Padano is the cousing of Parmigiano Reggiano, hoever Grana Padano is an inferior product as it uses industrial methods in its production. This cheese will be ready earlier and it will not develop the grainy texture and flavours of Parmigiano Raggiano.
What is the difference between Culatello and Parma ham, and prosciutto?
Parma ham is cured on the bone with air and salt only, on the rolling hill of Langhirano where there is the perfect climate to do so, and it is drier than the low lands around Parma. On the contrary Culatello is a ham fermented without the bone, done inside the pig bladder. Culatello require more humidity and it is normally done near the Po' river where it is a lot more wet and foggy than usual. Culatello requires special brick cellars to age correctly. Prosciutto is the Italian for ham and it is applied to all hams, it is not a variety of cured meats.