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Rooted in Tradition<\/h3>\n
Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the oldest and richest cheeses in the world. This cheese is essentially produced in the same way it was nine centuries ago: using the same ingredients (milk, salt, and rennet) with the same craftsmanship and production technique that has undergone very few changes over the centuries. What is produced is an entirely natural product without the use of any (!) additives. Why is this so important? Registered with the European Union, Parmigiano Reggiano is a cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), i.e., a product that, based on its distinctive characteristics and its tie to the area of origin, is safeguarded by a system provided by the EU to protect consumers and producers alike. So, how is a cheese granted this designation? To start, it has to be produced in a specific area of origin (which includes the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua to the right of the Po river, and Bologna to the left of the Reno River – a surface of approximately 10,000 km2).<\/p>\n
The production of cow\u2019s milk, the processing into cheese, the maturation until a minimum age of 12 months, the packaging, and the grating of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO all has to take place exclusively in the area of origin. Furthermore, Parmigiano Reggiano has to be made using artisan and natural methods established in the product regulation and in the strict specifications, which set forth specific production procedures.<\/p>\n
What strongly binds Parmigiano Reggiano to its area of origin and makes it so that the same product can be manufactured in no other place in the world are the aspects associated with culture and tradition. It is first and foremost a microbiological characteristic that binds Parmigiano Reggiano to its area of origin. Only raw milk produced in the area of origin is indeed used to make Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It is a special milk, characterized by a unique and intense bacterial activity of the local microbial flora, influenced by environmental factors, especially by the forage, grass, and hay from the area that accounts for the main feed of the cows dedicated to this specific production. Also, as mentioned above, no additives are used to make Parmigiano Reggiano. This means that during the production process, there are no external actions (for example, no addition of enzymatic additives or bacteria selected in the laboratory) to change the activity of the bacteria that are naturally found in the raw milk produced by the farms in the area of origin. Only the cheese master during processing, thanks to the cheese-making technique, can enhance and favor the lactic bacteria that operate the positive lactic fermentations expected for the success of the cheese-making process.<\/p>\n
How far back does the production of Parmigiano Reggiano go? The first written evidence dates back to 1254 in a notarial deed found in the State Archives of Genoa where the caseus parmensis<\/em>, i.e., the cheese from Parma, is mentioned. The best-known literary evidence dates back to 1344:\u00a0Giovanni Boccaccio\u00a0in the Decameron described the district of Bengodi and noted a mountain of\u00a0\u201cgrated Parmesan\u201d\u00a0<\/em>on which\u00a0\u201cMacaroni and ravioli\u201d\u00a0<\/em>were rolled, which is a clear indication of the product\u2019s use in the kitchen.<\/p>\n