Parmesan

How to Choose the Best

Parmesan is a slightly grainy, hard cow’s milk cheese that is straw yellow to yellow in color. The cheese is generally aged for a minimum of 12 to 16 months, though Parmesan made in the United States is aged for a shorter time. Parmesan is known for its nutty, salty and buttery taste as well as granular texture. Though variations of the cheese are made and sold as “Parmesan," true Parmesan is made only in specific regions of Italy outside of Parma. Parmesan is sold in wheels, blocks or wedges and flaked, shredded or grated. In many cases price correlates to quality because more expensive cheeses are often aged longer or come from small artisan producers.

Shelf Life and Storage

Store Parmesan in the refrigerator, either in a deli drawer or on a refrigerator shelf. Parmesan cheese blocks or chunks can last for a few weeks if properly wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper and placed in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. Shredded and grated Parmesan will keep for a few weeks as well as long as they are kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing

Parmesan, in any form, can be frozen up to 6 months in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.

Preparation Suggestions

Parmesan cheese is excellent eaten on its own, especially drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil, or grated over dishes. Parmesan is a key ingredient in many sauces, salad dressings and condiments. Three of the most famous are Alfredo sauce, Caesar dressing and pesto Genovese. Parmesan adds great flavor to soups, breads, dips, pastas, vegetable and pizzas. It pairs very well with poultry, pork and some seafood.