Depending on the exact area of production and its features, this deli meat is often given other names such as Capocollo, Lonza or Lonzino. Many historical sources indicate that Coppa di Parma has been in production since the late 1600s, when it was called Bondiola, after the pork bowels (Ita. bondeana) in which the meat was wrapped. Today, Coppa di Parma is made from the precisely trimmed muscular portion of the pig's neck, also stuffed into natural casings, and produced within the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Lombardy.
Apart from the high quality of lean meat, what makes Coppa and other typical Po Valley products so special is in fact the humid microclimate of the region. During cold winters and warm summers, cold cuts of Parma can age slowly, attaining its delicate aromas and a sweet taste.
Coppa is excellent as an appetizer served with focaccia or sourdough bread and accompanied with a glass of wine!
