- Gerri Sarnataro
Will the real Parmesan please stand up
How many times do you reach for parmesan in the supermarket and really know what you are buying?. You’ve got grated parm in tall cylindrical containers, grated parm in cryovaked bags, pieces of parm with rind wrapped in plastic.
It surprised my students when I rejected a big bag of pregrated parmesan asking for a block of parmegiano reggiano with the rind instead. It meant more work for us. Was I being a culinary snob?
I placed each cheese, grated in two separate containers, marking each with a number. I passed spoons and the cups of cheeses and asked: okay, who prefers #1. One hand shot up. 15 other people chose #2, the real parmesan. When I asked everyone to describe the taste differences, words like salty described #1 and buttery, rich, balanced described # 2.
Dare you try this at home? I think you should. Let your palate be your guide. Perhaps you’ll be a bit more mindful of the purity and craftsmanship that makes Parmegiano-Reggiano the king of cheeses.
Then take a look at this!
http://www.parmesan.com/craftsmanship/the-making-of-parmigiano-reggiano-cheese/
But don't stop there. Take a look at this!