L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025 L'Italo-Americano ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS PEOPLE ACTIVITIES U n d e r h e r i n i t i a t i v e , t h e impressive Teatro Regio w a s b u i l t a n d b r o u g h t a resurgence of music and the- ater. The foundation for the N a t i o n a l G a l l e r y o f Parma was laid, and elegant F r e n c h - I t a l i a n g a r d e n s became part of the Parmesan landscape. Throughout her r e i g n f r o m 1 8 1 6 t o 1 8 4 7 , Maria Luigia was the figura- t i v e a r t i s t w h o p a i n t e d Parma with French themed elegance, culture, refine - ment…and violets. The delicate purple flower s o l o v e d b y t h e D u c h e s s became her symbol. Printed on dishware, signs, station- ary, and anything else carry- ing the Duchess' touch, the tiny violet eventually even replaced Maria's signature. T o d a y , P a r m a ' s v i o l e t s remain a beloved symbol of the city. Perfume, soaps, ice c r e a m , c a n d y … i t ' s e v e r y - where! You might observe, while wandering Parma's elegant streets, eating your violet gelato, that a golden yellow h u e d o m i n a t e s b u i l d i n g direction took up residence to begin their assignments. A distinct resemblance to Paris crept over Parma, still evi- dent today. Yet despite Luisa's crucial role, she is not the most hon- ored figure responsible for Parma's rebirth. Almost like a trivia game, ask any local to name an important local his- torical figure; odds are the a n s w e r w i l l b e M a r i a Luigia, Duchess of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla…and Napoleon's second wife. The arranged marriage brought Maria to Parma as a contro- versial figure, revered by some as the "Good Duchess" yet seen by others as cold and indifferent to her hus- band's exile. Despite conflict- i n g p e r s o n a l v i e w p o i n t s , Maria became beloved and is revered to this day. Her loy- alty to Italy paved the way f o r h e r p r o m o t i o n t o Duchess. Maria was one of the first to initiate govern- mental facilities for materni- ty and family assistance, as well as public housing and healthcare. Culture, with a French twist, was rebuilt. façades. It's not your imagi- nation, but French influence once again. Under Phillip's 18th century rule, architect Ennemond Petitot was r e c r u i t e d f r o m L y o n a n d g i v e n c h a r g e o f u r b a n r e s t o r a t i o n . E m u l a t i n g Parisian elegance and the wealth of the court, Petitot's "Parma Yellow" became the preeminent color of the n e w o r d e r . M a r i a L u i g i a , u p o n t a k i n g h e r p l a c e a s Duchess, personalized the color by requiring a deeper, r i c h e r t i n t — p e r h a p s t o match the golden shade of her curly locks, some locals like to say. T h e w o r l d k n o w s a n d adores the prosciutto and cheese indigenous to Parma; it's time the world was intro- duced to Parma's decidedly French-inspired specialty sweets, as well. Step into any p a s t i c c e r i a f o r a t a s t e o f T o r t a D u c h e s s a , a p t l y n a m e d i n M a r i a L u i g i a ' s honor. Layers of chocolate g a n a c h e , h a z e l n u t p a s t e , zabaione, alcohol-infused buttercream, and candied cherries will require more than just a taste, though…be w a r n e d ! A n o t h e r o f t h e Duchess's delights is still rel- ished today, a semi-sweet t o r t e l l i k n o w n a s T o r t é l Dǒls. Invented by her chef, a mixture of pears, quinces, and white pumpkin is pock- eted in delicate dough, then combined with cooked grape m u s t , b r e a d c r u m b s , a n d plum jam with a final finish- ing of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The savory-sweet dish is not only still enjoyed, but revered: its preparation, ingredients, and all associat- ed customs are preserved and propagated by the Con- fraternity of Tortél Dǒls, a group dedicated to keeping the gastronomic tradition alive. The Duchess would take great pleasure in know- ing that her favored dish is celebrated each October with a popular food festival, a sagra, attended by thou - sands. Parisian flair won't fade from Parma any time soon. Proud Italians, yes, but citi- zens exude dignified plea- sure and pride over their city's Parisian cultural inher- itance. It's a viable vignette o f F r e n c h é l é g a n c e t h a t makes Parma truly Italy's "Little Paris." cafés and graceful flower s t a l l s m i n g l e l i k e l o v e r s alongside streets, all part of a n o v e r a l l c h i c P a r i s i a n ambiance that permeates the city. Stellar food and culture entwined with unmistakable savoir faire didn't just fall into place one day, however. How did a distinct French flair become an ingrained part of life here? Time for a brief visit back in time to find some clues as to how Parma took on her notice- able joie de vivre. Skipping over an interest- ing but long and convoluted full story, we'll take a short- cut and begin in 1759 when Phillip - Duke of Parma i n i t i a t e d r u l e o f t h e a u t o n o m o u s D u c h y o f P a r m a a n d P i a c e n z a . I n shambles from ongoing con- flicts, Phillip and his French royal wife Luisa Elisabetta s t r a t e g i c a l l y b r o u g h t i n Frenchman Guillaume du Tillot to oversee revitalizing Parma. The best Parisian artisans, chefs, architects, and artists were recruited by T i l l o t , a n d u n d e r L u i s a ' s T here's a different f e e l i n P a r m a , t h a t t o w n i n Emilia-Romagna n o t e d f o r s u c h c u l i n a r y m a s t e r p i e c e s a s Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma. Travel- ing northern Italy's 2,000- year-old Via Emilia, Parma sits as a distinguished jewel midway between Milan and B o l o g n a . T h e s e d a y s , t h e Via's original Roman name has been traded for a more utilitarian one — the SS9 — which allows easy bypass around the ancient town. But "easy" doesn't always equate to the best choice. F e e t o n t h e g r o u n d i n Parma is always a good idea. An immediate elegance is a p p a r e n t i n h e r r e f i n e d architecture, noticeably more n e o c l a s s i c a l … e v e n b o u r - geois. Dare we say, a French f e e l ? N o t a n i n c o r r e c t assumption for this impor- t a n t I t a l i a n c i t y . F r e n c h influence is abundant here, and hence – Parma's nick- n a m e o f " I t a l y ' s L i t t l e Paris." The closest French border c r o s s i n g f r o m P a r m a ' s b o u n d a r i e s i s a b o u t 2 5 0 miles away; the two are not exactly neighbors. If the dis- t i n c t F r e n c h i m p r i n t i n building style isn't convinc- ing enough, dialect heard in the city might help further persuade. You'll hear Par- mensi (citizens of Parma) use vert for open — quite like the French ouvert. Pass the tirabusòn to open the wine — a word barely distin- guishable from tire-bouchon, F r e n c h f o r c o r k s c r e w . I f you'd like fries with that, the menu might offer pom da t e r a r a t h e r t h a n p a t a t e (potatoes); the slight con- trast from pommes-de-terre is easy to see. You might hear bombèn in place of va bene (that's fine/well) — another f i r s t c o u s i n t e r m t o t h e French très bien. T h e p e t n a m e " L i t t l e Paris" might still seem some- what pretentious for a city exalted for its Italian culi- nary offerings. A few other considerations can further h e l p c o n n e c t t h e d o t s , t h o u g h . M u c h l i k e P a r i s , Parma boosts an irrefutable reputation for excellent din- i n g e x p e r i e n c e s , b o t h gourmet and rustic; numer- ous high-end boutiques and discerning shops line her avenues; romantic sidewalk PAULA REYNOLDS Parma - Italy's Little Paris Parma: Piazza del Duomo with the Cathedral and Baptistery, built in 1059 (Photo: Emicristea/Dreamstime) and, bottom right, the famous prosciutto di Parma (Photo: Dmfrancesco/Dreamstime)

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