Ingredients 101: Parmigiano-Reggiano

Photo courtesy of William Bradley, Jr.

Every domestic witch should strive to be as knowledgeable as possible about the foods and ingredients that they cook with and serve to their loved ones.  On that note, here's a little information about one of my very favorite ingredients!

Admit it, you know you use it.  That green can of cheese, stored in the fridge filled with salty sprinkles of parmesan.  It's reasonably cheap and makes a lovely cloud on top of your spaghetti.  But have you ever tried the real stuff?  There are several ingredients that I go for on the cheap - the difference is negligible. But some time ago, I bit the bullet and started splurging on real hunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Once you do the real thing, you won't go back!

Parmigiano-Reggiano, with it's nutty flavor and granular consistency has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, where it is said to have been created in the town of Bibbiano in the Italian province of Reggio Emilia. Documents going back to the 13th century show that it was made in a similar fashion to how it is still made today.  

This particular cheese is made with strict guidelines that are set in law by the Italian DOC to protect and preserve Italian cheeses, while insuring the quality. The first step in making Parmigiano-Reggiano is starting with only cows who only graze on grass and hay and are carefully tended to by farmers (a pretty sweet life for a cow!). The only ingredients besides the raw milk that are permitted in Parmigiano-Reggiano are natural whey cultures (using the whey from the previous day's cheese making), calf rennet and salt. The cheese is formed and branded with the number of it's cheese house, the date of production and the name of the cheese.   Cheese can only be called Parmigiano-Reggiano if the production follows the guidelines, including being created only in certain areas of Italy: Parma, Reggio-Emilia, Modena,  Bologna or Mantova, and it must be made between May and November (that's why the green can says "Parmesan").

A minimum of 12 months of aging goes by before a master taster (called a "battitores")(and what an awesome job they must have!) from the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano (the body who governs protecting the name of the cheese) checks each individual cheese. If the cheese passes, is it marked with the battitores seal of approval; cheeses that fail are stripped of their rind and markings.

On the other hand, American-made canned Parmesan cheese is made from pasteurized milk from cows who are generally fed a concentrated feed; this causes great differences in the taste of American Parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano.  American cheese makers, instead of using whey from their own cheese making, almost always purchase starters from enzyme manufacturers.  Different brands of cheese using different starters will cause variations on flavors from brand to brand.  Domestic Parmesan generally has a much higher salt content, and allows a variety of other ingredients to be added to the recipes, such as cellulose powder and potassium sorbate.  No quality rules govern the making of American Parmesan cheese (not counting safety regulations by the FDA).  American made Parmesan cheese does cost significantly less than Italian.=

Certainly each individual cook has to make their own choices depending on availability of products, cooking style and their working food budget.  Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the ingredients that is definitely worth a splurge when creating a special meal.

To store Parmigiano-Reggiano, wrap it in a white paper towel, then place in a baggie, squeezing out as much air as possible.  The cheese will stay fresh for months if kept wrapped correctly. Throw "rinds" or dried out bits of the cheese into soups or stews to add flavor!

Most local groceries carry Parmigiano-Reggiano in their deli cheese case. 

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