I have a weakness for cheese. I decided long ago that when I
didn’t have three roommates, I would make space for one shelf or drawer in the
fridge specifically for cheese. Now that I live alone, I have plenty of space
to keep many varieties of cheese. Right now, I happen to have three different
aged cheeses from Parmigiano Reggiano.
A couple of weeks ago I attended a tasting at La Scuola di
Eataly where attendees gathered to learn how to give taste tests and what sets Parmigiano
Reggiano apart from other cheese brands.
Parmigiano Reggiano is only made in Italy and each block of
cheese has a number on it, allowing the consumer to track the location and find
out where it was made. Flavors between each location slightly vary due to the
diet of the cows which is impacted by terrain. However, Parmigiano Reggiano has
very strict standards in place that assure the consumer that their cheese is
high-quality.
At the tasting, we tried cheese that was aged 14 months, 24
months and 36 months. The 14-month-old cheese was very young, didn’t crumble as
well and wasn’t very oily. The 36-month-old cheese was much more crumbly and
oily. Everyone was instructed to smell the aromas and the flavors and textures
of the different ages were noticeable.
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