True Parmesan cheese is Parmigiano-Reggiano. This unpasteurized, cow’s milk cheese has been made for centuries. By law, Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be made in one sector of the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. Here, farmers and cheesemakers do things the way they have been done since at least the Renaissance. Wheels that can surpass 80 pounds slowly age on long shelves in warehouse-like rooms, with the cheesemakers flipping wheels for even aging. Each year, millions of wheels become ready for export. Over time, Parmigiano-Reggiano has earned the nickname “the king of cheese.” Right up with Nutella and olive oil, it’s one of Italy’s most vital exports. It’s a pillar of Mediterranean cooking and, quietly, one of the great board-worthy cheeses you can find. So how do you get the good stuff? Follow these four simple steps. Another incredible thing about Parmigiano-Reggiano—other than how great it is with a dry white wine, like Prosecco—is the variety within the category. There are hundreds of Parmigiano-Reggiano producers working within the designated area of Emilia Romagna. A mountain range traverses the region, meaning cows graze at different altitudes. These cows snack on different forage. They are milked at different times of the year. And DOP rules only require 75% of forage to be from land within the certified area, meaning there’s wiggle room on what cows can eat. All of these factors can result in slight variations. That said, the quality of this “king of cheese” won’t vary if you find a genuine wedge. Some families making Parmigiano-Reggiano have refined their methods over six or seven generations, some more. Knowing how to tap into this mastery can only make your eating better.
