La Goccia Restaurant at Petersham Nurseries recently played host to a one-off dinner featuring a bespoke menu of Parma Ham dishes created by Chef & Restaurants Director at Petersham Nurseries, Damian Clisby, and presented by Senior Sous Chef, Mark Reid. I felt fortunate to have been invited to sit at the table for the feast.
In famous Petersham Nurseries style, tables were dressed with lavish floral displays, but the sights most pleasing to my eyes were the plates presented for the occasion.
Chef Clisby’s dishes included a seasonably scrumptious starter course of shaved asparagus with ultra thin crispy Parma Ham and soft boiled egg; a main of monkfish roasted in a wood-fired oven with Parma Ham and borlotti beans; and a dessert of Parma Ham and maple ripple gelato.
Yep, he even managed to find a way to incorporate the prosciutto as dessert ingredient. And definitely pulled it off. That ham and maple gelato was one of the yummiest ice creams I ever have had.
Tucked away in Floral Court near Covent Garden, La Goccia was an ideal setting for a summer evening outing, with plenty of natural light streaming into the area where the Parma party was seated and large chandeliers adding glamorous edge to the otherwise casual chic space. Service was prompt and polite.
La Goccia Restaurant at Petersham Nurseries Covent Garden is located at 1 Floral Court, WC2E 9FB. Find out more at petershamnurseries.com.
So What’s the Big Deal About Parma Ham?
Parma Ham is made with four basic ingredients: pork, salt, air and time. The meat is from only three breeds of pigs reared in a limited area of central Italy near the city of Parma. Hams are cured in traditional methods (which date back to the Roman Era) for at least a full year and sometimes up to three years. Ageing results in a lean ham that’s savoury and – as De Haas’ dishes demonstrating – exceptionally suitable for a broad range of flavour pairings.
Among the best examples of what makes a European PDO (protected designation of origin) product something to cherish and seek out, it’s one of my favourite foods.
Go to prosciuttodiparma.com for more information about what makes Parma Ham such a delicious treat.
