Parmigiano-Reggiano

Brittle and crumbly, and with a salty, piquant flavor, Parmiginao-Reggiano (also known as Parmesan) has been made in Emilia-Romagna for at least seven hundred years. To ensure you are getting the real thing, look for the name stenciled vertically on the rind. Although it is best known as a grating cheese, it is also eaten in chunks as part of a cheese course, sometimes with balsamic vinegar or honey.