Italian cheese: Parmesan

Parmesan cheese takes its name from the province of Parma (Parmigiano) and the province of Reggio Emilia. In addition to these regions, it is produced in the province of Modena, the parts of Bologna west of the Reno River, and the parts of Mantua south of the Po River.

Parmesan cheese, which contains high levels of glutamate, shows similarities to Grana Padano, another type of hard Italian cheese.

The names Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are protected by a geographical indication (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) under laws established by Italy and the European Union.

FRESH AND WHOLE MILK ARE MIXED

The milk to be used in Parmesan production is obtained by mixing milk that was milked in the evening, skimmed, and left to rest overnight with fresh, whole milk milked in the morning. Traditionally, this milk is collected from cows fed only on grass or hay. The milk is then placed into copper heaters. It is believed that the copper heaters add extra flavor to the cheese by releasing copper ions into the milk.

During this process, whey containing various thermophilic lactic acid bacteria is added to the milk as a starter culture, and the temperature is raised to 33-35 °C. With the addition of calf-derived rennet, the milk is left to curdle. The resulting curd is broken into small pieces, each the size of a grain of rice, and the temperature is raised to 55 degrees, after which it is left for approximately 45-60 minutes.

The concentrated curd is strained, divided in two, and placed into molds. The barrels used in production hold 1100 L of milk, and two wheels of cheese are produced from this amount. Each wheel contains approximately 45 kg of Parmesan. The resulting whey is traditionally used to feed the pigs that will be used in the production of Prosciutto di Parma (a type of dry-cured ham).

MATURATION PROCESS WILL LAST 12 MONTHS

The cheese is placed in stainless steel molds and pressed to ensure it maintains its wheel shape. After 1-2 days, the pressing is stopped, and a plastic layer containing the name of the production facility, the production date, and the words "Parmigiano-Reggiano" repeated many times is placed around the cheese; it is then taken to be pressed again in steel molds so that this information is imprinted onto the cheese.

One day later, after the information has been imprinted on the cheese surface, the pressing is stopped, and the wheels are placed in a brine solution to absorb salt, where they remain for 20-25 days. Following this process, the wheels are taken to special rooms for a maturation process that will last at least 12 months. The cheeses are placed on wooden shelves, and these shelves are cleaned and the wheels are turned every 7 days.

After 12 months, each cheese wheel undergoes quality control by the Consorzio Parmigiano-Reggiano organization. The cheeses are inspected by an expert who taps them to check for any voids or cracks inside. The organization's logo is stamped onto the outer rind of the cheeses that pass the quality control test.

CHEESES THAT DO NOT PASS THE TEST...

Cheeses that do not pass the test are marked with lines to warn the buyer that the cheese purchased is not high-quality Parmesan cheese. On average, the cheeses are matured for 2 years. Parmesan sold under the name "Stravecchio" may have been matured for 3 years, and those under the name "stravecchiones" for up to 4 years.

Parmesan is usually grated over dishes at the moment of serving. It is also used in Caesar salad. In Italy, Parmesan cheese is used to bind risottos and pasta dishes.