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Wine: Pinot noir Vinegar adds intrigue
By Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga
Special to the Star-Bulletin
CHEESE Appreciation 101, Lesson 1: Parmesan cheese vs. parmigiano reggiano. The first comes in a tube or bottle, grated or shredded in mass quantities for sprinkling on spaghetti. The second is an exquisite form of aged, artisan cow's-milk cheese produced only in a particular region of northern Italy, under a strict regimen that governs all aspects of the process from cow to cheesemaker.It's like M&Ms vs. handmade chocolate truffles.
Need more clarification? Lesson 1 continues Sunday at "The Conoisseur's Guide to the King of Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano," part of the KHPR Wine Classic.
Enter Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of National Public Radio's popular food show, "The Splendid Table," and host of the seminar. But be warned, her determination to raise the level of appreciation for handcrafted foods such as parmigiano reggiano is contagious.
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For a cheese that can trace its roots back 700 years, this one is probably the most misunderstood, Kasper says. Indeed, this was the impetus for her seminar, created for the Smithsonian Institution.
There is passion in Kasper's voice as she speaks of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, from which parmigiano, parma ham (true prosciutto) and balsamic vinegar originate. It was in this fertile area, specifically the provinces of Parma and Reggio, that parmigiano reggiano emerged and developed into what Kasper calls "one of the few truly great cheeses of the world."
Yet because it is revered worldwide, parmigiano reggiano has been imitated, passed off as other cheeses and essentially bastardized throughout its history.
"This is the cheese everyone wanted to be," Kasper says. Not only was parmigiano reggiano prized for its rich flavor, but because of its hard rind and lengthy aging, it held up well to poor storage conditions, making it a popular export as far back as 600 years ago.
"This may be why we find Parmesan part of the cuisine from Sicily to England," Kasper writes in her book, "The Splendid Table" (William Morrow and Co., 1992).
Kasper recalls many anecdotes about this venerable cheese: Samuel Pepys, a 17th-century English diarist, wrote that he had saved his important papers, wine and "Parmazan" cheese from the Great Fire of London by burying them in the back garden; French dramatist Jean-Baptiste Moliere was said to have survived on the cheese and little else in his last days (this spawned a "Parmesan diet" in Parisian theatrical circles -- three glasses of port and 12 ounces of parmigiano daily).
In America, Thomas Jefferson was so captivated by the cheese that he had it shipped to him in the Colonies. And Robert Louis Stevenson was known to carry a piece in his snuffbox, claiming it was nutritious as well as pleasingly aromatic.
So prized was this cheese that it was once used as currency and is still used as a form of collateral throughout Italy.
Parmigiano reggiano is made in the same manner as it always has by casaros, or master cheesemakers, who apprentice an average of 10 to 14 years before they are allowed to make their own cheese. It's a labor of love that runs seven days a week, 48 weeks a year, until retirement, "because the cows never stop producing milk," Kasper says.
What does change is the milk itself, the microclimate and the environment of the region, adding a quality not found anywhere else. There are also many nuances among cheesemakers, who rely solely on instinct and experience rather than scientific formulas to concoct the right amount of milk, starter culture and rennet (a coagulant) to create a quality cheese with the right balance of flavor and texture.
Parmigiano reggiano is a hard, grana (grainy) cheese formed into giant 80-pound wheels. It is then aged 18 to 24 months in special storage facilities where it is carefully turned, cleaned and polished, developing its characteristic deep golden glow. This slow aging process allows flavors to naturally mature and blossom.
The final seal of approval comes from a Consorzio, or consortium, set up to ensure parmigiano reggiano's authenticity and quality. The labeling consists of a repeated vertical stenciling of the "parmigiano reggiano" name on the rind of the wheel, along with an oval "export" seal which ensures the cheese has passed all measures of soundness. The wheel also reveals the year and month in which it was made.
The end product is a fine cheese that, once tasted will not likely be forgotten, Kasper insists.
A wheel is pierced with an almond-shaped tool that is used to break apart rather than cut into the cheese. This keeps the granular texture intact. The initial rush of fragrance emitted as the wheel splits apart is intoxicating, Kasper says.
"Great cheese, like great wine, needs to be tasted by the nose as well as the mouth."
Enjoy parmigiano reggiano freshly grated over pasta, in broth, shaved over salads, or in chunks, as in the following favorite appetizer of Lynne Rossetto Kasper's. Vinegar adds
intrigue to dish
Fresh Pears with Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar
Adapted from "The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food," Lynne Rossetto Kasper (William Morrow and Co., 1992)3 ripe Anjou or Comice pears
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 3-4 ounce piece Italian parmigiano reggiano cheese
About 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see note)Halve and core pears, leaving skins intact. Slice halves into thin slivers. Drizzle with lemon juice to keep from browning.
Fan 4 or 5 pieces of pear on each of six salad plates. At the base of the fan place a knob of cheese. Moisten each chunk with a few drops of balsamic vinegar and serve. Serves 6.
Note: Artisan-made balsamic vinegar (made from the Trebbiano grape and aged naturally over a long period of time) is recommended. If you are using a commercial balsamic, add 1/4 teaspoon dark brown sugar to the tablespoon vinegar.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 140 calories, 5 g total fat, 3 g saturated, 15 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 7 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate.*
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