Just as all Champagne must come from a certain place and be made in a certain fashion, true Parmigiano-Reggiano must come from Parma and be made in the traditional way. And just like Champagne, it is an incredible food product. Nutty and buttery, it has a dry and incredibly alive flavor. You can slice it and grate it, and use it in a wide range of food, including a wonderfully fresh eggplant Parmesan.
And while Champagne is not the world's only sparkling wine Parmesan is not Italy's only wonderful aged cows milk cooking and eating cheese. In fact, there is something of a food war going on right now between Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gran Trentino and Gran Padano, with each doing national advertising to expand their brand. For the local Italian consumer this is a great thing, as competition leads to great products at great prices. There are always a couple of burly guys with big knives at the supermarket cutting wheels of Parmesan, and its competitors, into big chunks, so you know that it's fresh.
In the states, keep an open mind, and if you see one of the other Parmesans, go for it. They are all great. That said, it is difficult to recommend the domestic alternatives. Parmesan is such a basic ingredient to so many Italian dishes that it is almost not worth making the dish if you can't find the real Italian cheese.
Look for an imported wedge of Parmesan at Trader Joe's or Costco. |
Storage
And we know you know this, but it's really true -- don't buy pre-grated Parmesan if you can help it. It starts drying out the second someone grates it. We store our cheese in a steel grater in the refrigerator, so it is always ready to go.
Serving
Don't just grate Parmesan on top of pasta, or melt it into a sauce. It's a fabulous table cheese. Try thin slices, almost shavings, with pears for dessert, or on a cheese plate before or after a meal. |
