Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan

My husband is Italian so Parmesan is sacred to us

Is a traditional Italian cheese from cow's milk, produced in a limited area in southern Lombardy.

Since 12 June 1996, the name Parmigiano Reggiano has been protected at European level by a protected designation of origin (PDO).

The origin of Parmigiano Reggiano is attested by numerous historiographical sources which attribute paternity to Benedictine abbeys.over the centuries, these consolidated traditions have extended to areas other than the two toponymic names of origin Parmigiano (Parma) and Reggiano (Reggio Emilia).

The history of parmigiano dates back to the twelfth century, when the Po Valley was drained to become an area of fertile pastures.

The word Parmesan

For the French name, it is generally accepted that the name comes from the region of Parma.in the dictionary, the name of Parmesan comes from Marie-Amélie from Habsbourg-Lorraine, duchess of Parma, who would have brought the cheese to Paris.

Making parmigiano reggiano

Its manufacture is limited to the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, part of that of Mantua on the right bank of the Po, and part of that of Bologna on the left bank of the Reno.

Cows providing milk for parmigiano reggiano can only be fed on grass and hay. "

4 cattle breeds make up the livestock: modenese, bruna italiana, local variant of Swiss Braunvieh, frisona, local variant of holstein, and reggiana.

Made with whole cow's milk of the day to which we add the partly skimmed milk of the day before, it is an unpressed cooked cheese with a natural rind.its wheels, 35 to 40 cm in diameter and 20 to 26 cm thick, weigh from 30 to 40 kg. It is manufactured without additives to promote fermentation.
It is manufactured by specialized establishments, the caseifici, grouped in a consortium; there are about 400 of them with some 3,400 farms.

The consortium allows the application of the Parmigiano Reggiano brand on the perimeter of the grinding wheel.

Characteristics

This cheese owes its inimitable taste to the milk of cows of the reggiana breed.it has a smoky lactic taste, fruity, salty, sometimes pungent.
Its optimal tasting period runs from April to October after a minimum of 12 months aging (the oldest are aged 48 months and much more), but it is eaten all year round, as table cheese, grated, chips or cubed in many recipes.at 12 months of ripening, it cuts with a special knife to give chips.

At 24 months of ripening, becoming friable, it has a fruity flavor and a unique pungency.it can also be noted that it is characterized by its umami taste.

Umami

Umami generally meaning tasty is one of five basic flavors with sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

Difference with Grana Padano

Grana Padano has a different and larger production area, less stringent milk production rules and a production process similar to Parmigiano Reggiano.their flavors are very differentiated.
The great paranoid has a grainy texture and very hard, and a smoky taste, slightly rancid.