Parmesan cheese
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Parmigiano reggiano piece.jpg
Parmesan is the cheese known in Italian as Parmigiano Reggiano DOP. The word Parmesan is derived from French referring to the original Italian Parmigiano Reggiano. In the European Union the word Parmesan is a food label protected by the law that can be legally used to refer exclusively to the Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese manufactured in a limited area in Northern Italy. (See Protected designation of origin.)
In other parts of the world and in everyday language the word Parmesan may also refer to other cheeses that resemble the original Parmigiano Reggiano, such as Grana Padano, a hard, grainy Italian cheese close to Parmigiano Reggiano. Outside Europe, local cheeses are manufactured and sold under the generic name Parmesan in many countries, most notably in the United States.
See also
American Parmesan
Template:Npov-section Image:Kraftparmesan.jpg American Parmesan differs from Parmigiano Reggiano in several ways. Firstly it is aged for an average of only 10 months, while Parmigiano Reggiano is aged for a minimum of 12 months, in practice usually for 18-24 months. This additional aging gives the latter more depth of flavor.
Secondly, the curds for Parmigiano Reggiano are cut into fragments the size of wheat grains, which is much finer than the fragments created in the manufacture of ‘unregulated’ Parmesan. The smaller curds used in Parmigiano Reggiano drain more effectively, while those used in the manufacture of Parmesan need to be mechanically pressed in order to expel excess moisture from the cheese.
Another difference is product regulation. Parmigiano Reggiano has become an increasingly regulated product; in 1955 it became what is known as a certified name (not a brand name). Parmesan (in its extra-European sense) however, has no such regulations. However, the European Union is actively campaigning against the use of protected European food labels by producers outside the designated region of origin and this may eventually lead to dropping the word parmesan from cheese products originating from outside the designated production region of Parmigiano Reggiano.
The average Parmigiano Reggiano wheel is about 18-24 cm (7 to 9 inches) high, 40-45 cm (16 to 18 inches) in diameter, and weighs an average of 38 kg (80 pounds); ‘Parmesan’ wheels in the United States average 11 kg (24 pounds). The size difference between the two wheels affects the amount to which they become saturated with salt during the brining process. In fact Parmigiano Reggiano on average contains two-thirds less sodium than the average Parmesan copy-cat.
See also: List of cheeses
External links
fr:Parmesan is:Parmesan it:Parmigiano-Reggiano nl:Parmezaanse kaas ja:パルミジャーノ・レッジャーノ pl:Parmezan ru:Пармезан ro:Parmezan fi:Parmesaani sv:Parmesan zh:帕馬森乾酪