PARMIGIANO REGGIANO: Production and Consumption

We again booked this experience with ToursByLocals and our guide was Sara F. She was absolutely lovely. What a pleasant way to spend a day driving around the countryside and hearing more about her life in Italy and studying in France.  We spend the extra money for private guides because it is an opportunity to hear firsthand from them what life is like where they are living, which is hard to do when you are walking about a city with your own guidebook. I understand that the expense might not be in everyone’s budget and there are other group tours available, I just am not sure you get quite the same insights.

We got picked up at 8AM and headed first up to the cheese factory. Driving up to Modena was reminiscent for me of driving through Sonoma County wine county with its rolling hills. We visited Caseificio San Silvestro, a cooperative where Parmigiano Reggiano is made.

I would like to acknowledge the description below is from Amy Sherman, "The Cheese Professor", who has summed up beautifully on her website, what we learned on our visit to the cooperative, but the pics are mine.

The production of the cheese follows a specific set of steps. The cheese is made from a mixture of raw milk from two consecutive milkings, and the milk from the evening milking is partially skimmed after overnight creaming. The raw milk is coagulated using animal rennet and natural fermented whey is used as the bacterial starter in a copper vat.

Once the curds are cut and shaped into a ball, it is divided into two identical rounds and cooked for ten minutes.

The whey is drained, then the cheeses are brined for 20 days.

Finally, the cheese must be aged a minimum of 12 months. The cheeses are all inspected and must adhere to the rules and standards that apply to the diameter of the wheel, the thickness of the rind, the color, texture, and flavor of the paste.

Finally, the cheese must be aged a minimum of 12 months. The cheeses are all inspected and must adhere to the rules and standards that apply to the diameter of the wheel, the thickness of the rind, the color, texture, and flavor of the paste. After 12 months of maturation, the Consortium experts carry out a quality inspection on all the wheels: each wheel is tapped with a hammer and the trained ear of the quality inspector recognizes any defects inside the cheese that may compromise quality. The conforming wheels are marked with the hot-iron brand thus becoming Parmigiano Reggiano. Meanwhile, any wheels that do not meet the PDO requirements have identifying marks and signs removed. 

The most typical ages of Parmigiano Reggiano are 12 months, 18, months, 24 months and 36 months. According to the Consortium, while the minimum maturation is 12 months, Parmigiano Reggiano reaches a degree of maturation that fully expresses its typical characteristics at approximately 24 months. This is the most popular maturation in both Italy and the US. 

The youngest 12-month Parmigiano Reggiano has a softer texture. If you're looking to grate a pile of whisper-thin strands of cheese that will be stretchy when melted, this is a good choice.

24-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano has a perfectly balanced richness of aromas and flavors on the nose and palate. In addition to milk one can detect notes of melted butter, fresh fruit, such as banana, pineapple, and citrus fruits appear along with hints of nuts and spices. Beef stock or bouillon are also perceptible. The flavor evolves into a balance between sweet and savory. The presence of numerous tyrosine crystals indicates the progress of proteolytic processes. of the cheese will be aged for 24 months, and this is the cheese most often used for grating and cooking.

The Consortium also shares that the perfect age for Parmigiano Reggiano to be grated over pasta is 24 months and older, because the cheese becomes perfectly soluble, crumbly and grainy.

A 36-month Parmigiano Reggiano is considered "Stravecchio" meaning very old and is a cheese board favorite. It benefits from a few drops of balsamic vinegar as an accompaniment. 

We then sat down and tasted the 12,24 and 36 month aged cheeses as well as their fresh ricotta; the 24 month was the overall favorite. it was all just delicious!!!