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Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. It is aged for at least 12 months, but the process often takes much longer. The cheese was created in the Middle Ages in the comune of Bibbiano, in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Its production soon spread to the Parma and Modena areas. Parmigiano Reggiano has a complex flavour and an extremely granular texture, which are a result of the long aging process. It is sometimes called the King of Cheeses. The name is protected in the European Union and, in Italy, exclusive control is exercised over the cheese's production and sale by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Hard, dry, granular |
| Milk type | Skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk, raw, unpasteurised |
| Region | Bologna, Reggio Emilia, Mantua, Modena, Parma, Emilia Romagna |
| Age | Minimum of 12 months, 2 years, or 3 years; Stravecchione cheeses are aged for 4 or more years |
| Taste | Rich, sharp, creamy, nutty, salty |
| Texture | Craggy, straw-coloured interior |
| Rind | Hard, pale golden |
| Authenticity | Look for "DOP" or Protected Designation of Origin marking |
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What You'll Learn
Parmesan Reggiano is made from raw, skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk
Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, dry Italian cheese with a granular texture. It is made from raw, skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. The whole milk of the morning milking is mixed with the naturally skimmed milk of the previous evening's milking, resulting in a part-skim mixture. Parmigiano Reggiano is made with unpasteurised milk, with no additives, and is matured for at least 12 months, although it is often matured for much longer. The minimum length of maturation to be classed as Parmigiano Reggiano is 2 years, although some are matured for 3 or 4 years. The longer maturation gives the cheese its complex flavour and extremely granular texture.
Parmigiano Reggiano is made in a very specific region of Italy. It originated in the comune (municipality) of Bibbiano, in the province of Reggio Emilia, and its production soon spread to the Parma and Modena areas. To be classed as Parmigiano Reggiano, the cheese must be produced in the provinces of Parma, Bologna, Mantua, Modena, or Reggio Emilia. The name Parmigiano Reggiano is protected by law, and only cheeses produced in these regions can be given this name.
The name Parmigiano is used in parts of Italy for grana cheeses that don't meet the protected designation of origin (PDO) requirements for Parmigiano Reggiano. Outside of Italy, the name Parmesan is used for imitation Parmigiano Reggiano. In the United States, 90% of "Italian-sounding" cheese sold as Parmesan is produced domestically.
Parmigiano Reggiano is made from three ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. Rennet is a natural enzyme found in cow's milk, which is added to develop soft curds. The curds are then cooked, cut, and added to wheel-shaped moulds where they age for a minimum of two years.
The process of turning the milk into cheese involves mixing skimmed milk and whole milk with a whey starter, a natural culture of lactic acid and bacteria. The milk is heated to 36 degrees Celsius and mixed with calf rennet and a natural coagulant, which starts to curdle the milk.
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It's been produced for at least 1000 years
Parmigiano Reggiano, or Parmesan as it is known in the US and the UK, is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. It has a hard, pale-golden rind and a straw-coloured interior with a rich, sharp flavour.
The cheese is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages in the comune (municipality) of Bibbiano, in the province of Reggio Emilia. Historical documents show that in the 13th and 14th centuries, Parmigiano Reggiano was already very similar to the cheese produced today, suggesting that its origins can be traced much further back. The earliest written record of this cheese is from the year 1254, and it was praised as early as 1348 in the writings of Boccaccio.
Parmigiano Reggiano has been called the "King of Cheeses", and Italians reserve this title for only the finest of cheeses. The name is legally protected in the European Union, and in Italy, exclusive control is exercised over the cheese's production and sale by The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, which was created by a governmental decree. Each wheel must meet strict criteria early in the aging process to merit the official seal and be placed in storage for aging.
The industrialization and subsequent standardization of Parmesan production in the 19th and 20th centuries have reduced the heterogeneity in its sensory characteristics, but the key characteristics—hardness, sharpness, aroma, saltiness, and savoriness—have endured.
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It's been called the King of Cheeses
Parmigiano Reggiano, also known as the "King of Cheeses", is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. It has a hard, pale-golden rind and a straw-coloured interior with a rich, sharp flavour. The cheese is produced in a limited area in northern Italy, specifically in the provinces of Parma, Bologna, Mantua, Modena, or Reggio Emilia. The name "Parmigiano Reggiano" is protected under Italian and European law, and the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano exercises exclusive control over the cheese's production and sale.
The process of making Parmigiano Reggiano is rigorous and adheres to strict standards. The cheese is made with raw milk, with no additives, and is matured for at least 12 months, although it is often aged for longer. The minimum ageing period for Parmigiano Reggiano is two years, and cheeses labelled "stravecchio" have been aged for three years, while "stravecchione" cheeses are aged for four or more years. The lengthy ageing process contributes to the cheese's complex flavour and extremely granular texture.
The history of Parmigiano Reggiano dates back to the Middle Ages, and the same three ingredients—milk, salt, and rennet—have been used since its origins. The cheese was first made in the municipality of Bibbiano, in the province of Reggio Emilia, and its production soon spread to the Parma and Modena areas. Historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries indicate that Parmigiano Reggiano was already very similar to the cheese produced today, suggesting its origins may be even earlier.
The name "Parmigiano Reggiano" is derived from the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The term "Parmesan" is the English translation of "Parmigiano Reggiano" and is used outside of Europe to refer to imitation cheeses made in a similar style. However, these cheeses do not carry the same lineage and consistency as the genuine Parmigiano Reggiano.
Parmigiano Reggiano is widely considered superior to other cheeses, including imitation Parmesan, due to its specific and protected environmental conditions of production. Its taste is described as creamy, nutty, and salty, with a crunchy texture formed by tyrosine protein crystals. The cheese is also known for its granular texture that melts in the mouth.
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It's the most counterfeited product in the world
Parmigiano Reggiano, or Parmesan cheese, is a popular Italian classic, but it is also the world's most counterfeited product. The name Parmigiano Reggiano is protected under Italian and European law as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product. This means that only cheese produced in a small region of northern Italy, including the provinces of Parma, Modena, Bologna, Mantua, and Reggio Emilia, and aged for at least two years, can be called Parmigiano Reggiano within Europe. Outside of Europe, and especially in the United States, the term "Parmesan" is used loosely and is not regulated, leading to widespread counterfeiting of the product.
In the United States, the term "Parmesan" can refer to a beautiful slice of Parmigiano Reggiano imported from Italy or a shaker of powdered "Parmesan" cheese to sprinkle on pizza. The problem lies in the loose translation of "Parmesan," which is the English and American translation of the Italian word "Parmigiano Reggiano." In the United States, there are no regulations on what can be sold as "Parmesan," so it is often an imitation of the real Parmigiano Reggiano.
The counterfeiting of Parmesan cheese is a significant issue, with an estimated 15 times more counterfeit than genuine Parmesan circulating outside of Europe. Fake Parmesan cheeses are produced in places like Eastern Europe or South America and sold under similar-sounding names like "Pamesello" and "Reggianito." Even within the United States, there have been cases of cheese factories selling "100% grated parmesan" that was cut with fillers like wood pulp and contained no real Parmesan cheese.
The high rate of counterfeiting of Parmesan cheese has led to increased regulations and standards for Parmigiano Reggiano. In 1955, it became a certified name, and in 2008, an EU court determined that the name Parmesan in Europe refers only to Parmigiano Reggiano. To ensure authenticity, special seals identify the product as genuine Parmigiano Reggiano, with the identification number of the dairy, the production month and year, a code identifying the individual wheel, and stamps regarding the length of aging. Additionally, the rind of every wheel of genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano is embossed with dotted letters stating the name of the cheese, date of production, and the seal of approval from the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano.
To avoid buying counterfeit Parmesan cheese, it is recommended to buy whole pieces of cheese with a portion of the rind still attached so you can check for the stamped letters. It is also best to buy real Parmigiano Reggiano and grate it yourself, as grated cheese quickly loses its flavor and moisture and can be adulterated with fillers.
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It's a protected designation of origin (PDO) product
Parmigiano Reggiano, commonly known as Parmesan, is a protected designation of origin (PDO) product. This means that its name is legally protected in the European Union, and it can only be manufactured in a limited area in northern Italy. The name "Parmesan" is often used for imitation products outside of the EU, particularly in the United States, where 90% of "Italian-sounding" cheese sold as Parmesan is produced domestically.
To qualify for PDO status, a product must be produced within a specified geographical area, and its characteristics must be essentially due to that area. Parmigiano Reggiano has strong links to the place it is made, with its name originating from the Italian province of Parma, where it was first created. Its production soon spread to the nearby areas of Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua, and Bologna.
The PDO status of Parmigiano Reggiano ensures that the cheese is produced, processed, and prepared in this specific geographical area, using the recognized techniques and ingredients of local producers. This includes using unpasteurised cow's milk, which is a mixture of whole milk from the morning milking and naturally skimmed milk from the previous evening's milking. The Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano, created by a governmental decree, exercises exclusive control over the cheese's production and sale in Italy.
The PDO status also guarantees the sensory characteristics of Parmigiano Reggiano. Each PDO product must present a technical specification to EU authorities, which includes a sensory description. However, there is no standardized approach for sensory control methods, and each entity controlling the characteristics of PDO products decides how to meet this requirement. Parmigiano Reggiano has a rich, sharp flavour and a straw-coloured interior, with a hard, pale-golden rind. The complex flavour and granular texture are a result of the lengthy ageing process, with the cheese being aged for at least two years.
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Frequently asked questions
Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed, raw, unpasteurised cow's milk. It has a hard, pale-golden rind and a straw-coloured interior with a rich, sharp flavour.
Parmigiano Reggiano is made in a specific region of Italy, in the provinces of Parma, Bologna, Mantua, Modena, or Reggio Emilia in Emilia Romagna.
Parmigiano Reggiano is made with three ingredients: milk, salt, and rennet. The whole milk of the morning milking is mixed with the naturally skimmed milk of the previous evening's milking, resulting in a part-skim mixture. Rennet, a natural enzyme found in cow's milk, is added to develop soft curds. The curds are then cooked, cut, and added to wheel-shaped moulds where they age for a minimum of 12 months, but usually two years.
Parmesan is the English and American translation of the Italian word Parmigiano Reggiano. Outside of Europe, the name Parmesan is legally used for imitation Parmesan, whereas in the European Union, the term Parmesan is protected and can only be used for true Parmigiano Reggiano. Parmesan cheese is also made in Argentina, Australia, and the United States.
Genuine Parmigiano Reggiano will have a "DOP" symbol or marking (denomination d’origine protetta, or protected designation of origin). It will also have a creamy, nutty, salty flavour and a crispy-crunchy texture.
