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/