Parmesan cheese
Italian hard cheese / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parmesan cheese is the name of an Italian extra-hard cheese made of raw cow's milk. The original Parmesan cheese is more precisely called Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is produced only in Italy, in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua (partly) and Bologna (partly). It is usually the cheese to go with Spaghetti and other typical Italian pasta, but it also has many other uses. Parmesan is a part of Italian national cuisine and it can be eaten both grated and in slivers. It is hard, sharp and dry.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is DOP / AOC. This means that the way they are made and the region in Italy they come from are strictly controlled.
The brand (Parmigiano Reggiano) is protected, and only in Europe.[1] In many parts of the world, cheese is sold as Parmesan cheese that has nothing to do with the true (Italian) Parmigiano Reggiano.[2]
The original Parmesan cheese is one of the most expensive cheeses in the world.[3]