The Cheese Plate: Parmigiano Reggiano

It's undisputable to anyone who's tried it—true Parmigiano Reggiano is worth every cent it costs.

But, what makes it so special?

Parmigiano Reggiano has been made in northern Italy under strict regulations, in the same artisanal manner, for 800 years. What makes it stand apart from other hard cheeses is that each wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano must be inspected and approved by specially trained certifiers of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano. Why does this have weight? The Consorzio is an objective party—it doesn't make or sell the cheese, rather their mission is to uphold the standards and quality of Parmigiano Reggiano. So when you see the Consorzio's stamp, you know this cheese has met a set of rigorous standards.

To achieve its distinctive characteristics, Parmigiano Reggiano is aged an average from 12 to 24 months. This means that up to two years can go by from the moment the cheese is made to the time the consumer eats it. The dairy cows making milk for Parmigiano Reggiano are mainly fed with hay from the area of origin and are not allowed to eat fermented feed that may be cheaper, which would sacrifice the quality. The cheese is produced only in specific regions of northern Italy, specifically the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena, portions of the provinces of Mantua to the east of the Po River and of Bologna to the west of the Reno River.

Signs of quality
Every wheel is branded with important consumer information to check for:
• Casein Disc: This stamp is applied to the flat surface of the cheese showing a Unified Identifying Code, which allows the cheese to be traced.
• Mark of Origin: Pin dots spelling Parmigiano Reggiano are embossed on the rind of the cheese, along with the cheese house number and the month and year of production.
• Certification Mark: After 12 months of aging, the cheese is examined by experts from the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano. When it is approved, the Consortium's certification mark is fire branded on the cheese. Once the wheel is certified, it's considered Parmigiano Reggiano. An interesting note: If a cheese is declassified (i.e., doesn't pass the criteria), all markings on the rind are ground off. Then the cheese is used for grating and melting but is never sold as Parmigiano Reggiano.

Different Varieties
Next time you're shopping for Parmigiano Reggiano, you may see a few varieties. Here's why: For one year, all wheels are aged, after which time the Consorzio certifies them and separates them into two categories. About 6 percent of the production is cheese best eaten before 18 months and is sent to market right away. This young cheese is called Parmigiano Reggiano Mezzano. You can recognize these wedges because they are marked with parallel grooves that also allow the pin dots to show through.

The remaining wheels are given further aging, from 6 to 12 months, and are called Parmigiano Reggiano.

The Age Issue
Those wheels slated to be aged longer often go into large communal houses where about 250,000 wheels are aged at a time. While the average aging is 24 months, at 18 months a producer may choose to have certain wheels re-inspected to see if they quality for the highest level, called Export or Extra. To do this, they must pay the Consorzio to return and assess the wheels. If the exterior and interior characteristics are perfect, inspectors will award the cheese the Export or Extra certification mark, both of which are equivalent and signify top of the line Parmigiano Reggiano.

Export and Extra are the same exact cheese. At one time, it was only branded as Export. The alternate Extra branding came about recently. The bottom line: Those importers in the business for a long time lean toward calling it Export and newer businesses prefer Extra. For you, just know that they have exactly the same characteristics and are top of the line.

One more interesting point is that aging is not a mark of higher quality. A wheel aged for 32 months is not necessarily better than one aged for 24 months. It just means it's older. Just as with wines, each wheel is different and should be aged appropriately.

What's the crunch?
The grainy, slightly crunchy texture of Parmigiano Reggiano is to be desired and a sign of a premium cheese. What is it exactly? It's the sensation made by crystallized free amino acids that form during Parmigiano Reggiano's aging process. As it ages, the cheese's milk protein breaks down into its components—peptones, peptides and free amino acids. When the free amino acids crystallize, they form a grainy texture that you can taste and see. The longer it ages, the more grainy and crunchy the cheese, making it easier to digest.

Health Boost
Aside from the wonderful taste, Parmigiano Reggiano is also beneficial to your health as it's rich in calcium, phosphorus, micro elements and vitamins, and is highly digestible. Italians of all ages—from babies to seniors—eat Parmigiano Reggiano. Because the enzymes are working on breaking down the proteins before you even eat it, they've done a lot of the work your body would have to do. For example, steak will take four hours to be assimilated by your system; Parmigiano Reggiano takes 45 minutes, and is loaded with amino acids and is lactose-free.-Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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