27 November 2009, 14:48 PM
  • Have you added 'Discover the Origin' masterclasses with Juliet Harbutt to your 2010 agenda? Designed specifically for delicatessens, they're this year's must-attend event

Are you au fait with Parma Ham and could you distinguish an 18-month old Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from a 30-month-old?

How much do you know about products with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) or Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)?

If you want to advise customers with conviction, sign up for one of Juliet’s nine new masterclasses, running in cities across the UK from 25th January until 17th March.

The classes are part of a three year initiative called ‘Discover the Origin’.

The campaign is backed by the EU and part-financed by The Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB), The Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP) and the Parma Ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortiums.

For the second year Juliet, renowned food expert and founder of the Great British Cheese Festival and British Cheese Awards, will be leading a series of sample-rich masterclasses for delicatessens in London, Glasgow, Winchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Cambridge, Exeter and Oxford.

Last year’s attendees increased their understanding of some of the world’s most revered products: Parma Ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Burgundy wines, Douro Valley wines and Port. The Discover the Origin Best Display Competition, which will be running from January to August for the second year, is a befitting finale.

The top three entries will win a weekend to London for Olympia’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September.

The overall winner will be announced and rewarded with a five-day tour to Parma, Italy.

Knowledge is power

Juliet Harbutt’s two-hour, interactive seminars provide in-depth advice for 20 people.

Intended as hands-on masterclasses, they promise to sharpen skills and increase understanding. Retailers will sample some of the finest Parma Ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shipped from the Consortiums. Juliet will then compare the different ages and explain each vintage variety. If cutting a perfect piece of Parma Ham has always alluded you, now is the time to master the art.