Parmigiano Reggiano ageing
According to recent estimates over 30,000 forms of Parmigiano Reggiano were destroyed in the recent earthquake in Reggio Emilia. In it’s honor, we present this post on the history of cheese with pictures of the birth of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Long ago a nomad set out on a journey; however, he didn’t want to be refreshed solely by water, rather, he decided to put into his leather saddle bags the sweet milk of one of the family’s sheep. Of course, by the time he reached his destination the milk had curdled. Thus, cheese was discovered. The origins of cheese are shrouded in the mists of time. The nomad is thought to have lived around 8,000 BCE but the first written records of cheese are found in Egyptian tombs circa 5,000 BCE. We know that when Homer ran into the Cyclops on his Odyssey, they were making cheese. Every hamlet created its own varieties. The terroir and methods of each produced different flavors with some becoming highly prized. Now, according to the Centre for Retail Research in England, cheese, especially more expensive cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, have become the most stolen grocery item in the world.
Fine dining usually includes a cheese course when a cheese master rolls a cart to the table so diners can choose. Like a sommelier, this person might also suggest appropriate condiments to go with the cheese, such as honeys and fruit chutneys. In Italy, the cheese master is called a maestro assaggiatore, or “master taster” also known as “the nose”. Such a person is a highly respected professional, who has gone through extensive training. He or she purchases cheese directly from the source and then ages it in their own facility.
Cheese Course
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