Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan (Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano) is a legendary Italian hard cheese, deservedly called the “king of cheeses.” It is made from cow's milk in several provinces of northern Italy by a strictly regulated ancient technology with protected-origin status.

The main feature of parmesan is its extraordinarily long maturation, usually from 12 to 36 months. During this time the cheese loses moisture and becomes very hard, crumbly, and granular, while its taste becomes deep, salty-nutty, rich in natural umami, with characteristic crunchy crystals. Every gigantic wheel is marked and checked for quality. Parmesan is rarely eaten in a slice: it is grated finely, sprinkled over pasta, risotto, and soups, or broken into small pieces as a snack with wine. Even the hard rind is not thrown away but added to broths for aroma. Parmesan is one of the noblest cheeses in the world and a pride of Italian gastronomy.