"parmesan" news and stories

It was supposedly introduced on the East Coast this past summer but I never noticed it until a few days ago. Grate-It-Fresh Kraft Parmesan cheese comes inside its own disposable grater package. A 7 ounce block of "parmesan" cheese comes in a package where it rests on rotating grater so you can have that fresh grated Parmesan cheese experience. It's a great idea if only it was sold with real Italian Parmesan cheese, not Kraft's "American style" so-called "parmesan" which has much less aging time and flavor than the real deal from Italy. It's made with skim milk and the taste is comparable to termite droppings, yes termite droppings, because saying it tastes like sawdust would be an insult to deceased tress. This is pointed out in the many online reviews including this one from the Accidental Hedonist. I have to add that the price is $7.99 for 7 ounces. That comes out to $18.26 a pound. This is much more than the$11.99-16.99 a pound I pay for top of the line aged Parmesan. This is one product I give a hearty No Way In Hell! Unless you LIKE that over-priced, fake, grated cheese substitute in the green cardboard tube? Me, I'll take a hunk of 18-24 month old, imported Italian Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese and grate it the old fashion way, by hand, and get all the taste of the real thing. That way I won't be adding more disposable containers to our landfills and also, No termite droppings for me.

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A photo of a souffle that is taken just as it emerges from the oven is a wonderful thing. It is at that moment that the souffle is at its highest and most delicate stage, before the lower temperature of the room causes the dish to gently deflate. This is a Silverbeet and Parmesan Souffle, captured at that very moment, by Haalo at Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once. Silverbeet, a.k.a. chard, has a very slightly bitter taste to it that mellows when it is cooked, but would still provide a bit of contrast to the richness of the cheese flavor in this souffle. The finished dish is much easier to achieve than it looks, particularly if you follow the recipe closely and don't over-beat the egg whites, and is the perfect way to start off light summer meals and warm winter ones.

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Earlier this summer our family lost the Patriarch.

Dozens of people brought lasagnas, cakes, cookies, hams, ice cream, all lovely and appreciated. After a few weeks of this and a dozen added pounds I realized it was time to return to basics and stop "stuffing" everything, literally and figurative. I dug out a new Moosewood cookbook (moosewood restaurant, new classics) and picked, at random, a seemingly bland recipe. Since we are of immediate Irish descent it was fitting that a recipe called Valle d'aosta Cabbage Soup turned up. With some trepidation after a look at the ingredients I decided to lay it on my family, prepared for polite affirmations. The preparation, reminiscences during the prep, and the dinner itself will live forever. Although the dish is from the Italian Alps, we pretended all was Irish and it goes like this:

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A little slice of foodporn for yer - from last Saturdays London blogmeet. These were deliciously moreish and, I guess, surprisingly easy to construct. You just need the freshest of ingredients. In this case the ripest figs, the very best Parmesan and thin slices of prosciutto. Just one of ten or so superb dishes prepared by Jeanne and Johanna. [More images on flickr]

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Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is a hard, dry cheese made in Italy. In fact, the name is trademarked and only cheese from a certain region - mostly around the areas of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua in Italy - can officially be called Parmigiano Reggiano. Similar cheeses made outside this area are called simply parmesan cheese. The cheese has been produced in the same way for the past 800 years. The Consorzio del Formagio Parmigiano Reggiano has published a "multimedia journey" on their website that takes you through the steps of making this cheese. To summarize the process, however, a blend of whole and part skim milk is cooked in huge copper kettles, to which a cultured whey starter is added. This starter contains the precise bacteria needed to start the development of the cheese and is refreshed every day from the prior day's cheese making. Rennet, a thickening enzyme, is added and the cheese mixture is heated gently to expel water from the curds. The partially dry cheese is molded, salted and finally set to age. Parmigiano Reggiano should age for over 24 months to develop optimum flavor and texture, though the minimum aging is 12 months.