Parmesan – All You Need to Know | Instacart’s Guide to Groceries

What is Parmesan?

Parmesan is a hard, cow’s milk cheese that’s aged for at least a year. It is most commonly grated over pasta dishes, shaved on salads, or cooked in a risotto dish. The rinds can also be cooked in a soup.

Historically, in order to be called Parmesan, the cheese must be made in the Northern Italian areas of Parma, Reggio, Modena, Bologna, or Emilia. However, the United States allows any cheese with the same properties to be called Parmesan, including sprinkle cheese in a jar.

Where did Parmesan originate from?

Parmesan cheese can be traced back as early as the Middle Ages. It was supposedly first made in the town of Bibbiano in the Reggio Emilia province of Italy. Monks in either Cistercian or Benedictine monasteries used the same techniques that are common today to produce the cheese.

Parmigiano Reggiano has a particular set of regulations that must be followed to achieve the official stamp of approval from the Consortium for Parmesan from Reggiano. Everything must be done in the mountain areas of the region. The herds of dairy cows live there, their food supply is grown there, and even every step of the manufacturing process takes place there.

What is the nutritional value of Parmesan?

Parmesan cheese is notable for its high amounts of calcium and protein per serving. It is also an easy cheese to digest. A single 1oz serving of parmesan cheese contains the following:

• 111 calories
• 10g of protein
• 7g of fat
• 26% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of calcium
• 16% of the RDV of phosphorus

Like all cheese, parmesan is a very nutrient-dense food. It helps with bone health with its high levels of calcium and phosphorus.

How is Parmesan made?

Parmesan cheese is made from a mixture of whole milk and skim milk. The mixture is heated in a copper-lined tub that adds copper ions to the solution. Next, whey and lactic acid bacteria are added, and the temperature is raised to around 95°F. It is then curdled with the addition of calf rennet.

The curds are broken into rice-sized pieces by a machine and heated to 131°F for an hour. Once the curds have settled, they are wrapped in muslin and put in 2 molds, each of which holds 290g of the milk mixture. 

The cheese is then poured into a round form that gives it a wheel shape. The form is removed after a few days, and the cheese is covered with a wrapper that states where and when it was produced. It is then put back in the form for a day and placed in a salt bath for close to a month. Finally, it may age for an additional year before it is sold.

What should I look for when buying Parmesan?

The most important thing to look for when buying parmesan is if it is authentic or not. Wedges of the cheese will have dots that spell out Parmigiano Reggiano on its crust. If they aren’t there, the product may not be up to standards. 

Parmesan also has different tasting notes depending on how long it has been aged. These are some tasting notes and what the cheese is best paired with:

• 12-19 months: This has a delicate flavor and is good in salads. It pairs with sparkling wine.
• 20-26 months: This has a well-balanced flavor and is perfect for topping a pasta dish.
• 27-34 months:: The aromatics of this age range give it a stronger taste, and it pairs great with fruit.
• 35-45 months: The flavor of this well-aged cheese is very intense. Pair it with a bold red wine.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for parmesan via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products. Shop for parmesan. 

How to store Parmesan

Store Parmesan cheese in the fridge after you remove it from its original packaging. Wrap it in wax paper or plastic wrap, and then wrap it again in aluminum foil. This method preserves the humidity of the cheese without allowing it to dry out.

Keep it away from other foods that have a strong odor. The cheese is very porous and can easily absorb other flavors or smells in your fridge. The best place it put it is in the bottom drawer of your refrigerator at a temperature of around 40°F. 

How to tell if Parmesan is bad

The easiest way to tell if parmesan cheese has gone bad is if it starts to become moldy. Once mold starts growing, it is time to toss the cheese. The cheese can also become very hard if it dries out. Sometimes it can be salvaged by cutting off the hard sections and rewrapping it, but it depends on how hard it is. If it has an off smell or change in color, it is also time to get rid of it.

What can I substitute for Parmesan?

If you need a substitute for Parmesan, any hard cheese with a similar nutty flavor will do. The closest cheese in taste and flavor is Granada Padano. Other good options include Piave, Manchego, Asiago, and Romano. You can even use nutritional yeast if you are in a pinch.

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