Parmigiano Reggiano

Dense and granular with gritty spires of crystallized proteins. The flavor symphony apt for a royal court.

Quick Facts

Country of Origin: Italy
Milk Type/Treatment: Raw Cow
Rennet Type: Traditional

The Flavor Experience

A complex, granular bite that feels like pyrotechnic particles of sweet onion grass, cashew, pineapple and lactic acid on your tongue. The dense paste is pierced with spires of crystallized amino acids which interlude the harmony of sweet and savory notes.

The Story

Parmigiano Reggiano is nursed to perfection by master producers, affineurs and graders. Raw grass-fed cow’s milk is transformed into one of the most essential cooking ingredients on the planet with the utmost care and precision over the span of its 24-month production. Made in copper cauldrons, partially-skimmed morning milk and whole evening milk is formed into 75-85 pound cylinders. After 12 months, each wheel is hand-inspected by a master grader from Il Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano and if it adheres to their measures of quality (which include being tested for distinctive tonal ranges with a hammer!), its rind is branded with the consortium’s insignia. Parmigiano’s dynamically aromatic and texturally complex character owes itself to its molecular composition. It develops its characteristic amino acid crystallization during aging as proteins breakdown and its fragrant notes of umami and the Mediterranean Sea are owed to its high level of the amino acid glutamate. Revered through history, Parmigiano holds its throne as the King of Cheese.

Usage Tips

Pair Parmigiano to your heart’s content; its complex flavor profile complements nearly everything. Douse with an aged Aceto Balsamico di Modena; pair with onion garlic jam and Prosecco; shave onto a summer salad; infuse soup broth with its aromatic rind; or ignite an entire wheel with brandy and serve pasta out of it!