How can I choose the best Parmigiano-Reggiano?

simply by selecting Parmigiano-Reggiano, rather than "Parmesan", you have already decided to ensure that you have chosen high quality cheese. However, if you want to be sure that you will choose the best cheese for your purposes, you should look for a piece of cheese that still has a bark, so you can be sure of its origin. Whenever possible, you should also try to determine how long the cheese has aged and that it was at least one year old. However, as long as you buy cheese from a renowned grocery store or Deli, whatever Parmigiano-Reggiano should be excellent quality. According to European law, cheese is protected as a protected designation of origin, similar to champagne, so only cheeses produced in this area can use a name. Italy has also established consortio formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano , a consortium that oversees the production of cheese to ensure that each bike produced meets the highest standards.

Parmigiano-Reggiano production begins with cows feeding only on grass or hay and uses a combination of whole milk and naturally produced skim milk. This is combined with natural whey cultures and rennet from calves. The whole mixture is then cooked in large copper fringes at exact temperatures before the assembly and creating into the wheels. The cheese is also bathed in a salt solution using Mediterranean sea salts - this is the only added flavor. Once the cheese wheels are set, then they are aging for at least one year, although two years are also quite common.

Only cheeses created using this parma process can indeed be called parmigiano-Reggiano and this name, as well as a vital consortium, is pushed into the outer cortex of cheese. Due to the protection of the Parmigiano-Reggiano brand, imitative cheeses usually use the name "parmesan" or similar derivative. Until you find the cheese that was part of the wheel and still has a bark with a "parmigiano-reggiano", pounded along, pIf you know you buy quality cheese. In addition, you may want to try to find out how long the cheese ages. Sometimes the cheeses that are longer by age are marked "extra" on the bark.