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20
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
MARCH | APRIL 2018
the
Authentic Italian
issue
whose history, origin and flavor are so
particular that the resulting food cannot
be duplicated elsewhere. In addition
to protecting a food’s name, specific
production and aging criteria are also
articulated. So, when people ask me why
Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parmesan aren’t
the same, there are numerous and specific
answers. Some highlights of what it takes
to qualify as Parmigiano-Reggiano are:
• Milk and cheese production must occur
in the region of Emilia-Romagna in
Italy, and may occur in the provinces
of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena,
Bologna to the west of the Reno River,
and Mantua to the east of the Po River
• Milk may never be pasteurized
(the cheese is always a raw milk, or
unpasteurized, cheese and is always
made from cow’s milk)
• Wheels of cheese are graded for quality
after 12 months, and those deemed
unsuitable for aging to the standard
24 months are removed and sold as
something other than Parmigiano-
Reggiano
• There are dozens of other criteria
that make a Parmigiano-Reggiano
(see sidebar on page 19), all of which
contribute to a particular texture and
flavor profile that cannot be captured
by any other cheese
If all these qualities (and more) make a
cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano, then what
makes a cheese, simply, Parmesan? The
origin of American Parmesan (and other
Italian-inspired recipes such as Fontina,
Gorgonzola and Dry Jack) can be closely
traced to regions of the developing United
States where there were pockets of Italian
immigrants residing. Late 19
th-
and early
20
th
-century Northern California, for
instance, had a large and hungry Italian
immigrant population missing the foods
of their homeland. Cheesemakers began
answering this need with recipes derived
from Italy, though necessary tweaks of
ingredients and recipes yielded cheeses
that were like the homeland original, yet
not exactly the same. Parmesan is a
grana
(grainy) style cheese, meaning it is hard, dry
and aged, and thus especially well-suited to
grating and shaving. American Parmesan
tends to be significantly younger than
Parmigiano-Reggiano (usually 12 months
as opposed to 24). Most important, it is not
matured in open-air aging facilities so it
doesn’t develop a thick, hard exterior rind
and its texture is moister and mealier than
the Italian original. All American Parmesan
is made of pasteurized cow’s milk, and
its flavor is universally sweeter and more
caramelized than the bracing acidity that
makes Parmigiano-Reggiano so distinctive.
This isn’t to say Parmesan is bad cheese
(though some Italian die-hards might argue
with me on this one). It’s simply different
cheese. The best American brands are Rio
Briati, BelGioioso and Sartori, all of which
are readily available at Rouses.Many of these
come pre-grated or pre-shredded, which lots
of folks like for convenience. While I’m
happy to snack on Parmesan if it’s served
to me, I usually hold out for Parmigiano-
Reggiano. In cooking, its salt and acidity add
a dimension and depth of flavor to soups,
sauces and salads. That thick, waxy rind is
the secret ingredient to my universally loved
minestrone. It elevates a bunch of vegetables
to the realm of the addictive and savory.