Ive been eating Parmesan cheese my whole life, from the ubiquitous green shaky can that lived in the fridge my whole childhood, to the eventual tubs of grated and shredded that started to supplant them in my high school years, to the wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano that became my cheese drawer essential as a young cook in my first apartment. We are talking nearly five decades of eating this magical king of cheeses.
So, imagine my shock when on a recent trip to Italy, I learned that I have been eating my Parmesan all wrong.
Unlike many other hard cheeses, Parmesan rinds don’t contain wax or other sealants. They’re formed naturally during the cheesemaking process. In fact, the rind is just dried cheese that slowly hardens on the exterior of the wheel as it ages in temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms.
The better way to eat Parmesan cheese
Europeans in general, but especially those with strong cheese production, have very specific ways they engage with their cheeses. If you are in France and facing a wedge of Brie, do not cut the point off for yourself: It is considered rude to bogart the prized “nose,” and etiquette dictates you slice long thin wedges off the larger wedge, so everyone gets some.
In Italy, they take their Parm seriously, and to optimize eating pleasure, they have a three-step process.
Credit: Getty / TinaFields
Step 2: The middle of the wedge
Once you hit the middle of the wedge, youll notice the cheese gets a little more dense and salty, or a lot saltier if the cheese was aged longer. This is when you pull out your grater and use it to top pasta, or add shreds to a salad, or use as an ingredient in a cheese sauce.
Save Your Parmesan Cheese Rinds! Quick Kitchen Tip!
FAQ
Can you eat the rind on Parmesan cheese?
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