This is something I never envisioned doing until I became a professional cheese monger. It is exciting, a bit daunting and definitely exhausting…mostly it is fun.
Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is strictly regulated in Italy and can be made in only a handful of specific regions. As a result, it is more expensive than cheaper Parmesan versions made within the United States. Each Italian wheel, made from just milk, salt and rennet, is inspected and certified.
The taste difference between authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and cheaper Parmesan alternatives is staggering. Authentic Italian Parmigiano Reggiano is made from unpasteurized milk whereas most American Parmesan is made from pasteurized milk. The Italian cheese tastes sharper with a nutty flavor. The U.S. versions are milder and smoother in texture. BelGioioso Cheese is one of the few American exceptions that uses unpasteurized milk for its Parmesan. BelGioioso is based in Wisconsin as an FYI.
For me, the entire process of cutting into the wheel, splitting the wheel into two and then dividing the two halves into four pieces is a multi-hour process. I then take one of the wheel quarters and divide that into two pieces which I then cut into smaller pieces. I should add that by the time I am finished, my entire workspace is covered in a blanket of cheese snow.
At my store, I enjoy sharing samples of a freshly cut wheel with my customers. For those who are somewhat familiar with authentic Italian Parmesan, it is a happy reunion with an old friend. For those new to authentic Parmesan from Italy, the look of discovery is a joy for me to witness.
I like to remind my friends and customers that a little Parmesan goes a long way. I love using it in my salads, egg dishes, soups and sauces. It goes without saying what it does to pasta. A high-quality Parmesan is especially critical if you’re making an Alfredo sauce. I learned to make this pasta dish from two Italian ladies visiting a friend. I cringe if I see someone adding milk or cream to Alfredo – that’s a big no-no. If you make the dish the authentic way with just pasta, butter, pasta water, Parmesan, salt and black pepper you will really appreciate the difference a high-quality Parmesan makes.
Finally, stores like mine that sell authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cut from wheels will also sell Parmesan rinds. The rinds are great for both flavoring and thickening soups, sauces and stews.
Mangia, mangia!
I am standing next to an uncut 85-pound wheel of imported Parmesan My set of Parmesan cutting knives The knife I use to score the wheelFirst cut to score the rindScoring the top, sides and bottom of the wheel Next, wedging the line open Continuing to wedge the gap open Success! The wheel is now in two pieces.Some tasty pieces from splitting the wheel into two halves.Using my cheese wire-cutter to cut smaller pieces A pile of smaller pieces cut from the wheel I ran some pieces through my commercial-grade food processor for shredded Parmesan
I recently attended Gourmet Foods International’s San Diego Food Expo. I enjoyed every aspect of the experience…except, perhaps, that feeling of being so full by the end of the day.
The day started early in the morning with a series of classes:
French and American Hams for Charcuterie Boards
I loved learning about the history behind the Jambon-Beurre. It is the classic Parisian sandwich made with just three ingredients: baguette, ham and butter. What makes this simple sandwich so special is the quality of all three ingredients. French butter, in particular, is a lot more rich and creamy than the American version. The ham, Jambon de Paris, is a wet-cured and boiled ham that is not smoked. It is very tender and not salty. I must confess that while I was in Paris, I focused on two other classic French dishes – soupe a l’ oignon and croque-monsieur. That said, I can’t wait to go back to Paris for a Jambon-Beurre.
Next up, the president/owner of The Spotted Trotter out of Atlanta Georgia spoke about his background as a chef at French Laundry in Napa Valley and his desire for a greater purpose – to create fine American-made charcuterie meats. We sampled his Tasso Ham (a heavily spiced and pecan-smoked meat) and Culatello Prosciutto (made from the center of the pig leg and known as the king of prosciuttos). Both were immensely delicious and impressive.
California Cheeses
Highlights included meeting one of the three sisters who own Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese – a company that started out only making blue cheese. The company has expanded with other products and now makes several versions of Toma which the president described as an Italian cheese with a Dutch twist. I loved her suggestion of using the company’s TomaRashi (Toma flavored with Japanese chili flakes, ginger, orange peel, nori and nigella seeds) in tacos.
Cypress Grove Cheese brought its spectacular Humboldt fog cheese – a yummy goat cheese with a gooey layer under the rind and a layer of vegetable-based ash in the center. You really have to try it to appreciate it. This cheese looks like a work of art. In addition, the Cypress Grove representative brought their Dutch-made goat Gouda called Midnight Moon. This cheese is so smooth and sweet. I sell a lot of it in my store. I almost think it has a cult-like following. It is an expensive cheese but so worth it.
Cheese Pairings
In this class, we were given an assortment of cheeses, including Point Reyes Bay Blue, Vermont Creamery’s Hooper (creamy cheese shaped like a donut) and Marin French’s Breakfast Brie (a soft and rich Brie without a rind). The Bay Blue has a fudge-like texture with a more mellow and sweeter taste than their original blue cheese. It really complimented the Jose Andres dark chocolate. Also, I enjoyed the Breakfast Brie with the pepper jelly. My other favorite pairing was the Marin French breakfast cheese with sweet peppers.
The Convention Hall Booths
Walking around the convention hall was a food-coma experience. As a professional cheese monger, I am responsible for ordering everything from specialty cheeses to a variety of foods someone would want to pair with his or her cheese. That means I interested in jams, crackers, halva, dried fruit, specialty meats and so on.
The Ube Gouda caught my eye because of its vibrant color. The cheese maker gets this color by adding in Japanese Ube potato to the mix. Surprisingly, the cheese has a mild and slightly sweet flavor.
For those who love Jose Andres potato chips (they are delicious and consist of only 3 ingredients: potatoes, olive oil and salt),you will be happy to know that the company has a new flavor – curry. I tried it and loved it; it is not overpowering.
Marin French Cheese Company has a new Brie with a garlic-free version of everything-but-the-bagel seasoning and it’s wonderful!
Firehook was there with their classic gourmet cracker flavors (sea salt, rosemary sea salt, garlic & thyme and so on). The company produces the best organic Mediterranean-style cracker that has just a handful of ingredients and nothing artificial. Firehook has a new dill-flavored cracker and it is fantastic. If you have not tried Firehook, you need to. These crackers are insanely good.
Eventually, all good things come to an end and so my husband, a friend and I all waddled out of the convention hall and into our car. I left feeling completely full and inspired by all the new products I tasted.
Ube GoudaTasting Ube GoudaCreamy Maytag Blue Really Fresh-Tasting JamsGoat Cheeses from Cypress Farm Including the Dutch Sheep Gouda Lamb ChopperEnglish Cheeses from SomerdaleEnglish Cheddar with Pumpkin Spice Plate from My Cheese Pairing ClassGreat Resource for Those Interested in Learning More Fun Display at the ExpoCalifornia Cheeses for ClassHam Tasting Class Red Pepper Jelly from My Cheese Pairing ClassHumboldt Fog CheeseMixture of Olives & Red Peppers from My Cheese Pairing ClassJose Andres Chocolate with a Hint of Cinnamon
NO time for boredom today 