Rare and delicious Reggiano

Parmigiano-The King of Cheese

We have a very rare and special Reggiano in stock (at Forsyth)
Parmigiano Reggiano
delle Vacche Rosse....$29.99 / lb
(yes, more than twice the price of "regular" Reggiano)

“Red Cow” Parmigiano
"Is there something better than top-quality Parmigiano? Yes: It’s Parmigiano-Reggiano delle Vacche Rosse, Parmigiano-Reggiano from Red Cows. Even better than the finest consorzio product, it is made from the exceptionally rich and creamy milk of the original milk source for Parmigiano-Reggiano, the Pezzata Rossa a breed almost extinct by the by the late 1980s. Like the Jersey cow, its milk has a deliciously higher butterfat content and more milk proteins; but it isn’t a high-yielding cow. After World War II, as the old artisan ways began to succumb to efficiency, it was replaced by the higher-yielding Friesian. The result: a less-rich Parmigiano. The other result: The breed began to die out, since only a few committed farmers would keep less profitable herds. Over the last 25 years, some herds have been reestablished, thanks in part to the Slow Food Movement, and are now being used to produce small quantities of this true connoisseur’s Parmigiano-Reggiano (it’s twice the price of regular Parmigiano).



The combination of higher butterfat and more proteins allows for the production of a cheese that is better suited for a longer period of aging, producing a 30-month-old cheese instead of the 24-month aging period of most other Parmigianos. The extra aging yields a cheese that is uniquely nutty, fruity and grassy, with a flavor that is richer than most Parmigianos. The texture is more creamy, even though the cheese is aged for a much longer time (the rule of thumb is, the longer the cheese is aged, the drier the paste). This is a special-occasion cheese: Serve it as the cheese course, in chunks, drizzled with 25-year-old (or older) balsamic vinegar.
You can purchase Parmigiano-Reggiano delle Vacche Rosse at iGourmet.com and MurraysCheese.com. Note that some wheels are aged beyond three years, sometimes to five years. In general, steer clear of them: Super-aged wheels can be sandy, dry and excessively salty, and paradoxically, will lose the nuanced complexity that you seek in an aged Parmigiano. Photo above: The entire 80-pound wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Note the stamp of the consorzio, which says Parmigiano-Reggiano, around the side, and the oval brand of the Vacche Rosse, with cows in the center, on the top." -- The Nibble Magazine Great food Finds