Parmigiano
Reggiano is the king of cheeses. Its nutritional
content makes it a wholesome food - highly digestible
and versatile. A sprinkling of Parmigiano is good
on anything. It is used in cooking for lasagna alla
bolognese, inside tortellini stuffing, to flavor omelets
and to create a really tasty soufflé.
Shaved
Parmigiano is used to garnish paper-thin slices of
beef called carpaccio or to lend body and protein
to tossed salads.This most particular cheese is a
veritable symbol of Italy throughout the world. It
is a light, easily digestible, nutritious food.
It
is produced in limited areas of the Emilia-Romagna
region, while the same cheese produced in other regions,
namely Lombardy, is called Grana Padano.
The
milk from which it is produced is strictly controlled
by a regulatory board which guarantees its quality.
Producers must adhere to strict processing and aging
procedures.
The
most superior cheeses are made between April first
through the middle of November. There are three age
categories for Parmigiano. The term nuovo indicates
cheeses aged less than one year, vecchio identifies
those aged between 18 to 24 months and stravecchio
those aged from 34 to 36 months. The older, the better.
A
standard wheel of Parmigiano weighs around 35 kilograms.
The production process is long and complex, originating
in the old 'cascine' where the 'casaro' puts in long
hours seeing his product through the various stages
from milk to its emergence as Parmigiano Reggiano.
The
true product can be recognized by a series of dots
stamped into the rind, marking the wheel. This fine
cheese can be enjoyed in many ways: chipped, over
pasta, melted in risotto, in lasagna, in savory pies.
Parmigiano is best preserved in the refrigerator wrapped
in cheesecloth or a paper towel.
