Cheese, glorious cheese!

What is Parmigiano Reggiano?

This hard, grainy cheese is made from raw cow's milk or cured goat milk (most notably in the regions of Parma and Reggio Emilia in Italy). It's only additive is Mediterranean sea salt. Where the cheese is submerged in a salt brine for 20 days. The product is aged for two years. This give Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese a sharp taste and gritty texture. This cheese is wonderful over pasta, stirred into soups and risotto, even baked and grilled. Alfredo sauce and pesto require this cheese as a key ingredient.

Other hard cheeses:

Reggianito

This hard cheese is made from cows milk from Argentina and is very grainy. It is aged only 6 months verses the other hard cheese at 2 to 3 years. Reggianito is very salty. Uses for this cheese are for cooking and over pasta dishes.

Grana Padano

Another very grainy cheese. but very popular. It's name comes from Grana (grainy) Padano (where it is produced) This is another cheese that is cooked and aged slowly like parmigiano-reggiano and is a wonderfully versatile cheese. It can be grated on pasta, shaved on top a salad, used in sauces or served in chunks.

There are many types of cheeses available Asiago, Gorgonzola, Romano, mozzarella and Provolone just to name a few. Really the best way to learn about cheese is to conduct your own taste test. Many stores provide small selections of cheese in their deli area. Whole foods has a large variety and can be purchased in small portions if you ask. So become your own food critic and try a few. Kids love it, moms approve. That's why I say cheese glorious cheese!