Needless to say, parmesan cheese is one of the most loved and popular cheese varieties in the world right now. From comforting soups to cheesy pastas and wholesome risottos, parmesan cheese is used to revamp some of the popular classic Italian dishes. The hard and gritty block of cheese has a fruity and nutty flavour profile and is perfect to amp up the flavour and texture of any dish. The cheese is fully aged and is fermented for at least six months. Based on the period of fermentation, the cheese is sold under different names. The variety is called Giovane if it is fermented for 14-18 months, Vecchio if it's been aging for 18-24 months and Stravecchio if it's been aging over 24 months. Although there’s a lot to talk about parmesan cheese, very few people are aware of the history behind its origin. Did this feel like an attack on you? If it did, there’s nothing to worry about anymore. As always, Slurrp has got you covered with the interesting story behind the origin of parmesan cheese. Read on to know how this nutty cheese came into being.
The history of the origin of parmesan cheese dates back to 900 years ago. The first record of Parmigiano Reggiano is from the year 1254. It is believed that Benedictine monks were living in the Parma-Reggio region of Italy. They were raising cows for milk production and were searching for a solution to extend the shelf-life of the large quantities of milk they were producing. So, they came with the method to make parmesan cheese. Gradually, they realized that the cheese became nuttier with time and they started the aging process. Legend has it that these monks had a monopoly on Parmegiano Reggiano till the 1400s and would export it to different parts of Europe. The delicious cheese became popular for its taste and texture and gradually rose to fame.
Parmesan is expensive due to the time it takes. It is always wise to buy it in lower quantities if you have to use it a little. Also, if you want to taste the authentic flavours, you should buy a block and not the pre-grated cheese. The pre-grated cheese is highly processed and you’ll surely miss the authentic flavours and texture. Do try the embedded recipes with parmesan cheese and get ready to drool over it's flavours for days.