I don’t know with you, but the way I remember my first parmesan cheese encounter is still very clear. It came pre-grated one Thursday afternoon neatly wrapped in a green cardboard cylinder. Mom put it in the fridge for a long time until one day she finally opened it and decided to make spaghetti. Admit it. Your first encounter with parmesan cheese was something like that as well. But America and I are no longer kids. Gourmet shops are no longer exclusive to the big cities and Italian restaurants now serve regional menus instead of pure classics. Since we are used to tasting different things, new things, and making discriminating choices, it is time that we take a closer look at Parmigiano Reggiano, a kind of cheese that is light years ahead of parmesan cheese.

Made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, the Parmigiano Reggiano is partly skimmed and is medium-fat. Initially, it was made in a zone limited to the provinces of Parma, Reggio-Emilia and Modena, and other parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bolognia in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally prepared, and no chemical preservatives or artificial additives are used. It is a living product that matures and evolves in flavor, like fine wine.

The Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is a time-tested cheese, although complex, it is still perfect served on its own. All you have to do is break off a small chunk, and that’s it. Everyone loves the taste of this cheese, and you can even pair it with a long list of other flavors that will highlight its sweetness.

Most Italian athletes include Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on their workout diet, as it is a great source of protein, calcium and phosphorous, and it contains other vitamins and minerals such as B12, copper and zinc. But the main attraction of this cheese is its traditional opening, called “cracking.

In case you have never seen a Parmigiano Reggiano cut open and wonders how these cutters were able to cut into such ragged and craggy wedges, well you will be surprised if I tell you that those wedges are there on purpose. Some people consider breaking into a 24-month old wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano like “cracking open happiness”. Why? Because traditionally, opening the Parmigiano Reggiano needs to use a particular set of tools five different types of knives to ensure that the internal crystalline structure and crumbly texture is preserved and intact.

The Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is both an expression of the cheese maker’s sensibilities as well as a product of sound judgment the maker decides every step of the production with his own hands. More than just a pasta ingredient, the Parmigiano Reggiano is a product of an intimate endeavor. So don’t stop grating. Try the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese today!

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