Parmesan

Cheeses from Italy

Italy produces a wide range of exquisite, flavorful cheeses that rival any in the world. More Italian Cheese Here

As long as minimum requirements are satisfied, a manufacturer can call his or her cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. But only the top grade examples will whip your senses into a frenzy of excitement. Without exaggerating, people who try a top grade "Grana" or "Parm" for the first time are often so surprised, they exclaim something like "Oh my God" and smile uncontrollably.

Pure pleasure is breaking off a shard and letting it turn creamy and crackly on the tongue. The glorious inconsistencies in these cheeses still baffle scientists. No one really knows exactly how and why ordinary milk makes this leap to immortal greatness, or why one wheel tastes and smells just slightly different from another. In a world of mass-produced sameness, these cheeses are made by hand, usually only eight to twelve wheels at a time.

Topography plays a role in the uniqueness of each wheel. Although each cheese can be made only within its legally designated zone, cheese from the hills and those from the flatlands are never quite alike. Climate is also a factor. Cheeses made in the winter are often the fruitiest, filing our cutting room with whiffs of strawberries and pineapple when a giant 80-pounder is first cut in half. By the time igourmet opens a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, about two years had passed since the cheese formed its natural rind, sealing off the interior from the elements outside.

Because of the fact that many of the world's hard cheeses are called Parmesan, mass confusion exists in the realm of the American consumer. These cheeses should be rich, fruity, and flaky, not salty, acidic or dry . We strongly suggest only buying authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano. Furthermore, it is vitally important to buy only the highest quality examples.

We already mentioned that both Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano are manufactured to differing degrees of quality. The Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium defines six quality levels for its cheese. The Grana Padano Consortium has a similar grading scale of its own. Third-party inspectors examine the cheeses' external appearance and the texture and aroma of the interior by means of thumping a special hammer on the rind, or taking a sample with a cheese probe. Inspectors must also cut at least one wheel per lot to assess its structural and organoleptic (sight, smell and taste) features.

There are significant differences even within a grade, mostly owing to aging. The optimal aging period for these cheeses is roughly two years, a bit more or less depending on factors such as altitude and the chemistry of the milk. Grana Padano can be sold after aging for only 8 months, while Parmigiano-Reggiano must be aged for at least 12. And make no mistake; the term of aging does not equal the time that has passed since the cheese was first created. Aging must take place at a specific temperature and humidity with the cheese being turned regularly. Previous Next

Italy produces a wide range of exquisite, flavorful cheeses that rival any in the world. More Italian Cheese Here