Posted by “Certain stories can tell themselves using a language of taste and flavour, where words are unnecessary.”
The story of this cheese is unique, and that’s what makes it different. Parmigiano Reggiano is the “ King of cheese” and is” referred to as a perfect food.
There was no reason not to fall in love with this cheese. History says the monks from the Parma and Reggie Emilia regions of Italy transformed milk into large wheels of cheese for slow and natural maturation. Hence, Parmesan cheese was born out of necessity to store milk over long periods during winter.
Even though cutting edge technology exists for taking care of the quality of milk and welfare of the cows, the practices and the tools used to make cheese remains the same. Approximately 13.5 liters of milk is used to create a kilogram of Parmesan cheese with techniques and traditions passed down from generations. After the different procedures, the mass that eventually forms cheese is placed in molds. These molds are wheel-shaped and made of steel. When these steel rings or wheels are tightened, it leaves the dotted writing on the cheese wheel’s sides. The imprint specifies the month, year, and the cheese factory. Over the centuries, Parmigiano Reggiano has not changed its production method: today as in the Middle Ages, the product is made in a natural way without additives.
As we move on to the health benefits, Parmesan cheese is naturally low in lactose content (< 0.1%) due to its typical production process. The fat content is also low. Parmesan is mainly composed of proteins which are easily absorbed by the human body. It is a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, and zinc. Around 50 grams can provide for 70% of the daily dietary requirement of calcium for an adult.
I hope you loved reading about this exciting journey of this cheese. In the end, I would like to leave you with a simple recipe that let’s this cheese shine through. Fresh and light ingredients paired with shaved parmesan leads to a beautiful salad.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: NA
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- Parmesan cheese (shaved) ½ cup
- Arugula leaves 1 cup
- Blackberries 5-6
- Toasted almond flakes 2tbsp
- Olive oil 11/2 tbsp
- Lemon juice 1tbsp
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- In a mixing bowl toss the arugula leaves along with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Pile it on a serving plate. Add the blackberries and toasted almond flakes.
- Top it with shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!!
Magic Ingredient 