Parmigiano-Reggiano

An aged cow’s milk cheese with a granular texture that has long been made in Emilia-Romagna and a small area of Lombardy, Parmigiano-Reggiano is used for grating and shaving and as a cheese course with fruit and nuts or with aged balsamic vinegar. The flavor of the cheese depends on its age. At 18 months, it has a nutty, somewhat sharp taste; after 24 to 36 months, the flavor is both nutty and spicy. Only wheels labeled “PDO” (protected designation of origin) can legally bear the Parmigiano-Reggiano name.