Sweet, unctuous, delicate. Only four ingredients go into the production of Parma Ham: Italian pigs, salt, air and time. Unlike its imitations, it is all-natural; additives such as colorings and nitrites are forbidden by the rules of the consortium which give Prosciutto di Parma its coveted PDO status (short for Protected Designation of Origin).

By law Prosciutto di Parma can only be made in the hills around Parma, with the hind legs of specially bred pigs from authorized breeding farms located in 10 regions of central-northern Italy. Their diet is a specially regulated blend of grains, cereals and whey from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production.

Making a Parma Ham is a long and arduous process; it begins with the legs being salted by a highly trained maestro salatore, or salt master, and followed by many months of carefully controlled curing so that the ham absorbs only enough salt to preserve it. Regulations ensure that the prosciutto is cured at least 1 year, and some may be cured as long as 3 years.