When you’ve got a chunk of parmesan reggiano on your charcuterie board, you’re looking at a true piece of history. The first mentions of this cheese date back to the Roman era, and it is said that makers of this revered variety have used the same traditional methods for the past 900 years. Today, this most famous of cheeses (also known as parmigiano reggiano) is produced only in a small region in Italy in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Bologna and Mantova. With a distinctive flavor, crumbly texture, and incredible umami, it’s revered by cheese lovers and copied by cheesemakers worldwide. It’s no wonder parmesan reggiano is called “the king of cheese!”
While true parmesan reggiano can only be made in a small area of Italy, that hasn’t stopped Wisconsin cheesemakers from experimenting with and innovating on traditional methods to produce several award-winning varieties. Cello Copper Kettle Cheese is a semi-hard variety that’s bursting with parmesan flavors. Sartori’s SarVecchio Parmesan has won numerous awards for its rich, fruity, nutty flavor. Belgioioso Parmesan is aged in special caves for 10 months to produce a cheese whose sweet, nutty flavor and tantalizing aroma have helped take home top honors at the World Championship Cheese Contest. While these Wisconsin beauties may not be made in the parmesan reggiano region, they are every bit as delicious!
Parmesan reggiano is a hard cheese from cow’s milk. It has a strong, rich, salty taste with fruity, sweet notes like fresh pineapple. The texture is brittle and crumbly, with a crunch provided by crystallized proteins that form around 18 months.
Written references to parmesan reggiano date back to Roman times, when cheeses were first shipped beyond their localities and named for the place where they were made. The cheese we know today was developed in the Middle Ages by Benedictine and Cistercian monks who, while looking for ways to make cheese last longer, developed a dried paste cheese in large wheels with salt from local mines. The recipe for parmesan reggiano is sometimes said to have existed essentially unchanged for the last 900 years.
Parmesan reggiano has a protected designation of origin status, or PDO, that is among the strictest in the world. Established in 1996, the PDO mandates that the cheese be made from unadulterated raw milk from cows raised within certain provinces, with a diet of only fresh grass, hay, or alfalfa – no silage allowed. The milk must be delivered to the creamery within two hours of each milking. The wheels of the cheese must weigh at least 66 pounds and can be up to 18 inches in diameter. Parmesan reggiano must be aged a minimum of 12 months.
A wheel of parmesan is made of whole milk from a morning’s milking combined with the skim milk from the previous evening’s milking. The milk is coagulated with calf rennet and acidified with fermented whey. The resulting curd is cut very small – about the size of a grain of rice – and cooked in large copper vats, then drained. Once the cheese is formed, it’s brined in a salt bath for approximately 24 days and then brought to aging rooms where it matures for 12 months or longer.
While many people use the terms “Parmesan” and “parmesan reggiano” interchangeably, there is an important distinction. Parmesan reggiano is protected by a PDO – it can be made only in specific regions of Italy, using traditional methods. On the other hand, parmesan is a much broader term that refers to similar hard cheeses produced outside of the PDO regions.
Umami – from the Japanese term for “pleasant savory taste” – is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Created by naturally occurring amino acids called glutamates, umami is that savory or meaty taste associated with foods like mushrooms, soy sauce, certain meats, and aged cheeses like asiago, cheddar, and iberico cheese. Parmesan reggiano has incredible umami, thanks to the highest level of free glutamates in any cheese.
Parmesan reggiano is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Its savory, umami-packed flavor enhances a wide range of dishes. It can be shaved with a cheese grater over salads and onto pasta or mixed into risottos and soups. Its crumbly texture makes it perfect for sprinkling on top of roasted vegetables or baking into casseroles. Additionally, the rind can be used to enrich broths and soups, giving a deep, cheesy flavor to hearty dishes.
On a charcuterie board, parmesan reggiano is perfect when paired with cured meats, figs, honey, and toasted nuts, offering a range of textures and flavors that create a delightful flavor experience.
When you’re ready to enjoy parmesan reggiano with a glass of wine, try pouring a fruity, medium-bodied red like chianti, barolo, pinot noir, or even full-bodied varieties like a malbec or syrah that can hold their own against the intensity of the cheese. For whites, a classic champagne, prosecco, or riesling offer a nice contrast. If you’re drinking beer, try a hoppy IPA or a malty Belgian ale or stout – the darker the better. And if you have a hankering for the harder stuff, an aged whiskey or a cognac make a lovely pairing.
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Parmesan can be used as a substitute in many recipes. However, the term “parmesan” covers a wide range of varieties. Depending on the cheese, it may not have the same complexity or depth of flavor that authentic parmesan reggiano offers.
The cheese is typically aged for 12 to 36 months, with older cheeses developing more pronounced flavors. Some wheels are aged even longer.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
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