Parmigiano, not parmesan!

   In the 17th century when Molière was ready in his bed to sleep away, the last thing he asked for was a “flake” of the Parmiggiano. And you, have you ever tasted parmiggiano reggiano? But be careful, a parmesan is not the thing that I meant. Why this distinction matters? Let me paraphrase the statement of Maurizio Maddaloni – president of the chamber of commerce in Naples:

Parmesan cheese is not an Italian product, it is American garbage, an American garbage, and they sell it as an Italian product to those who don’t know the tradition of “Parmigiano” cheese, the years required to make a wheel of “Parmigiano”.

Unfortunately, Italy suffers from a serious competition problem in the world, due to the production of fake Italian products. Therefore, it is an ethical and economical problem, lacking the quality of the original cheese. It causes a great damage to the Belpaese’s export (the industry is valuated at worth of 2.200.000.000 EUR which states one of the biggest Italian exports).

We can firmly establish that the black market of parmigiano exists. The states out of EU which haven’t made bilateral agreements with Italy don’t care of PDO and produce fake cheese indentifying it with the original Italian product. Industries from all over the world that produce fake cheese called “Parmesan” are estimated to be worth 100,000,000,000 EUR! Following the slow food’s principals, I would like to share with you some facts about this particular product.

The initial formation of parmigiano.*

The first testimony about parmiggiano reggiano under the latin name caseus parmensis is dated 1254. The today’s name refers to the geographical area where is produced: parmiggiano – from Parma, reggiano – from the cities of Reggio Emilia. Ingredients are really simple: cow milk, salt and rennet. An average wheel of Parmigiano weights 88 pounds. It ages at least one year and needs 131 gallons of cow milk. When it comes to a production process,  it is a gray area.

To make a real Parmigiano you have to start from… the grass. It has to contain three specific bacteria which grow only on the peculiar territory. That’s why the production area is restricted to the small piece of land in Emilia Romagna. It is crucial to maintain these bacteria alive in a hay that is going to manger and then through the way of breeding transfer them to the milk. During the fermentation they grow and achieve aroma and flavor characteristic for Parmiggiano.

    Parimigiano doesn’t contain lactose and gelactose so it is perfect for those who suffer from intolerance. This particular cheese is rich in vitamins A (40% of daily requirement), B2 (20% of daily requirement) and B12 (more than averagely needed), also iron and zinc. It is also recommended for the sportsman. The women who are pregnant have also a green light to eat it and in addition the sportsmen are also recommended to do so. We should bear in mind that the industries that sell the parmesan under the name of parmigiano reggiano could not meet these criteria and you have to be very careful what you are buying, otherwise you can do others a great disservice.

    The phrase which every Italian will say is: you can’t cook in Italian way if you don’t use Italian products. Italy is famous for its culinary richness and known as a founder of Slow Food movement. At the end, as always though, the actions speak louder than words, declarations and many others verbal forms. Maybe you know Zinfandel, the wine which grape variety is particular and unobtainable in any other zone than California because of its climate. After the researches in 90s turned out that Zinfandel is a genetic counterpart of the Primitivo. What was Italians’ response? Started the production of a poor quality Primitivo and selling it as Zinfandel. Surprise! Welcome in Italy, the capital of Slow Food! However, it is just a drop in the ocean. The thing is that every person should be conscious what
is buying actually. And sometimes it is better to judge the book by its cover – look at the stencil which is a solid indication that the cheese is legit.

The stencil is one of the fundamental signs that
ensures you about the originality of this product.

* Photos taken from: https://www.livingalifeincolour.com/why-if-a-cheese-is-called-parmesan-is-it-not-authentic/

Introduction

 

Hello!

My name is Zbyszek and I’m a student of Italian philology. Considering that my passion for Italian culture is superficial, I’m feeling forced to share with you bits and bobs, just to circulate around this specific field. It means that even though the Italian food is not my cup of tea, I will try to elaborate on some original products, their provenance and how they are made. I am in love with the poetry and literature so for sure I’ll post one or two blog entries dedicated to them. Among the biographies of the Italian geniuses that I had to get familiar with, some of them totally amazed me. On some level they described an extreme richness of the Italian personality and way of living (e.g. Rossini who gave up composing just to have more time to eat and cook). I’d like to evoke couple of them in this blog. Moreover, the political and economical situations in Italy are worsening. For that reason I will present some difficulties that Italians are currently facing. Well, at least I will try. Overall, this blog will concentrate on culture.

Florence, 2019

There is one rule to follow when reading this blog: think out of the box. And more importantly, remember that I am not someone to look up to. As simple as it is, treat me as one of your colleague, but an inexperienced one. Once I find any reliable source of information or an outstanding story, that is where I start improvising. This is the only way to hide up my lack of experience (less than two months spent in Italy) and interests (I’m really into nothing at much). Could be that this beating around the bush is also a wider conception that will bring us to some reflections or observations with regard to the famous “Italianness” or to this beautiful country in general. I would say that Italy is endless with its breathtaking landscapes, colorful lifestyle and cultural heritage. Italy for many habitants is only a fairy tale, an abstract creation, and it leaves me cold, but I want to show that this attitude is questionable, just as Giuseppe Verdi thought (by the way, in the time of Italian unification the people shouted “viva V.E.R.D.I.” what translates as “Vittorio Emmanuele Re d’Italia may he live long”).