Hard Cheeses

Swiss Jura

Another Martin Wishart discovery (and for once a hard cheese). This cow’s milk cheese has a firm texture and a wonderful, nutty taste. It’s not stinky but it is delicious.

Parmigiano Reggiano

The king of hard cheeses. Made in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna (all in Emilia-Romagna), and Mantova (in Lombardia), Italy. Under Italian law only cheese produced in these provinces may be labeled "Parmigiano-Reggiano," while European law classifies the name as a protected designation of origin. (Source: Wikipedia). Milk from the morning milking is combined with skimmed milk from the milking of the evening before. Whey and calf rennet are added and the resulting curds are placed in muslin bags. From the 1100 litres of milk per vat only 2 cheeses are produced (which helps to explain the expense of the cheese.) The remaining whey was traditionally used to feed the pigs which will later be turned into Parma ham.

Parmigiano Reggiano is placed in a brine bath to absorb salt for 20—25 days and then is aged for at least two years and tested rigorously for quality before being stamped with the cheese graders Consorzio's logo.

We like to eat Parmigiano by itself as a table cheese as well as eating it grated on pasta. It is delightfully nutty and crumbly and salty and a vital ingredient in any classy kitchen!

Pecorino

I discovered Pecorino when staying with a friend who is lactose intolerant and yet can digest sheep and goats milk. Pecorino is the name given to any Italian cheese made with ewe’s milk. Pecorino Romano is the cheese of this type made in Sardinia. It takes 8-12 months to mature and has a very sharp and salty flavour. In many parts of Italy it is served with pasta instead of the more expensive Parmigiano Reggiano. I like it as a table cheese and find it to be nuttier, milder and in many ways tastier as an eating cheese than parmesan.