Italian Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Parmigiano Reggiano production dates back to the 13th century when it was made by Benedectine and Cistercian monks. Thankfully modern methods of cheese production have not altered this traditional hand crafted masterpiece and it is considered, by most cheese experts, to be the world's best cheese. Parmigiano Reggiano is DOP certified and can only be produced in the small area bordered by the provinces of Bologna, Mantua, Modena, Parma and Reggio Emilia. Therefore the total production is small in relative terms but is of an extraordinarily high quality and consistency. The Santa Rita Co-op Dairy, which is located near Modena, produces only DOP Certified Organic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The following description of production relates to this particular Dairy.
There are eight family-farms incorporated into the Santa Rita Dairy Co-op. These farms are located in the towns of Pompenno and Selva in the Modena Appennini mountains. The altitude here varies from 2000 feet to 2400 feet and provides warm days, cool nights and lush farmland for grazing cows and goats. Parmigiano Reggiano is know also as a hard mountain style cheese. The Santa Rita Co-op was certified Organic 10 years ago and has been exclusively producing high quality hand crafted organic Pamigiano Reggiano cheese. The Co-op produces ten 80 pound wheels of organic cheese per day that are marked with the Consorzio de Parmigiano-Reggiano registration number 2895, this number identifies and certifies the producer. All of the cows in the co-op are fed only certified Organic grass and hay that is grown on the eight individual farms. The processing plant is centrally located near all of the farms so the milk does not have to travel long distances to be processed. All of these factors contribute to a superior final product.
Parmigiano Reggiano is a pressed, cooked curd cheese that uses partially skimmed cow's milk. Two separate milkings are used for each batch of cheese that is produced. The evening milking is poured into large containers and allowed to rest, in the morning the cream that has risen to the top is skimmed off and the remaining milk is then combined with the morning milk and allowed to form curds. This combination of milk is then heated at 90 degrees and the whey is separated out by a vigorous turning action. The remaining curds are then reheated and then allowed to rest and cool for 30 minutes. Next the cooled curds are placed in cloth bags, that are made from locally grown hemp, and placed in the traditionally shaped wooden molds and then pressed to expel any leftover whey. The pressed cheese is then immersed in a brine bath for 21 days, this salt bath allows the outer rind to form and harden and prepares it for aging. After the brine bath the cheeses are then rinsed and cleaned. These cheeses are then aged for 30 months in climate controlled "warehouses". This long aging process allows the cheese to fully develop its full flavor.
The finished cheese will have a hard outer rind that is considered inedible however it can be cut up and added to soups or broths to add extra flavor to them. Once cut open the interior will have a straw color that is hard and somewhat flinty. An aged Parmigiano will have a mild aroma but an extraordinary full and complex flavor. Many subtle flavors such as the spices nutmeg and ginger, a mild salty hint, and nutty like walnuts, can be noted. This is considered to be a "grana" or granular cheese that when grated will produce fines grains. The fat content of Parmigiano is quite low at about 28 to 32 percent. Parmesan is normally thought of and used for grating over pasta dishes but it is also a great table cheese that when well aged will melt in your mouth and allow its full flavor to expand. In Italy it is often served at the beginning of a main meal with figs, ripe melon or grapes. As an antipasto try it with prosciutto drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, it also works well sliced in garden salads.
When buying Parmigiano Reggiano look for large portions of the whole wheel and ask that your piece be cut from there. Try to avoid Parmigiano that is pre-cut into smaller pieces and wrapped in plastic wrap. Although it is hard to ruin this cheese it is always better to get the freshest piece possible. However if allowed to dry out it will become rock hard and will have little or no flavor. Ask for a sample if you are unsure of its quality. Do not grate this cheese and then store it in the refrigerator because it will rapidly lose its flavor, so only grate what you know you will use and store the larger piece wrapped in a damp paper towel and aluminum foil. Any mold that may form can be scrapped off without any damage to the rest of the cheese. You can rub a little olive oil on the exposed faces of the cut cheese to inhibit the formation of mold on the surface of the cheese it self. Any mold that may form will only be on the oil and can simply be rubbed or washed off.