[1] An aged wedge of authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: boldly flavored and aromatic (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[2] Wedges, curls and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

[3] If you want grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, buy a wedge and grate it yourself. You can see the crunchy white tyrosines in the paste (body) of the cheese (photo © iStock Photo).

[4] Branding wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano with the seal of the Consorzio (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

[5] A close-up look at the brand. It takes 550 liters of milk (145 gallons) to make a wheel of Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese (photo © Parmigiano-Reggiano Consorzio).

October 27th is National Parmigiano-Reggiano Day, celebrating one of the world’s great cheeses—often referred to as the “King Of Cheeses.”

The point we’d like to make today is that “parmesan cheese” is not Parmigiano-Reggiano: a cheese whose reputation is known worldwide, and whose quality is guaranteed with seels of authenticity.

Anyone can make a cheese called “Parmesan,” which is why large-scale food companies do.

True Parmigiano-Reggiano is a D.O.P. cheese are restricted by a governing body to production in specific locales, with traditional ingredients and techniques.

D.O.P., Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, is the European certification of authenticity of origin.

An Italian D.O.P. cheese must be produced in its historic region of Italy, using the same centuries-old artisan techniques as its predecessors.

It guarantees that the milk of the cheese and its production methods take place in prescribed regions, with specified techniques. It guarantees the consumer that a cheese labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano will deliver the expected gustatory experience.
 
 
STRICT OVERSIGHT IN PRODUCTION

Production of Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be carried out in five select provinces: Bologna, Mantova, Modena, Parma and Reggio-Emilia. Some 350 small dairy farms produce more than 3.6 million wheels per year.

Only Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO cheese can be sold under the “Parmesan” denomination in Europe. Unfortunately, the laws that classify and protect Parmigiano-Reggiano within the European Union are not globally observed, as both Parmigiano-Reggiano and “parmesan” can coexist on the same shelf in some countries outside the EU. These products are often mistaken for authentic PDO products by consumers.

A cheese labeled as parmesan in the U.S. can still can be a tasty cheese—especially those made by artisanal cheese makers. Factory cheeses (made in bulk), however, have far less complexity and aroma. Just taste them side-by-side to see for yourself.

In the case of Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cheese must be made by a cheesemaker who is a member of the Consorzio Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, a self-governing body of dairies.

The cheese is produced in accordance with strict regulations, and a fine-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the glories of the cheese world.

 
The result of all this attention and care is that Parmigiano-Reggiano delivers a well-known sharp and complex flavor, balanced by fruity and nutty notes, and a signature aroma that provides a whiff of joy.

Here’s more about the production process of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
 
What Are The Crunchy Bits?

If you’ve eaten (or just seen) aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, you know that its texture is slightly gritty. This is due to to the tyrosines, amino acid clusters that form with age (photo #3).

Tyrosine clusters are signs of a well-aged cheese, and are also found in aged Goudas (among other cheeses). The longer the aging, the more pronounced the tyrosines.

They are crunchy, tasty and (if we may say so) fun!
 

THE HISTORY OF PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

In the 13th century, in the northern Italy provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna, a long-aged cheese began to be produced in some of the bigger Benedictine monasteries.

The story is that Parmigiano-Reggiano was first created im the 13th century in Bibbiano, a small town located in the central province of Reggio-Emilia.

Local Benedictine monks who managed dairies had been searching for a long-aging cheese for their milk.

They developed a recipe for what we now know as Parmigiano-Reggiano. The hard, granular, flavorful and aromatic cheese quickly became popular, and production expanded into the nearby Parma and Modena provinces. The name of the cheese became a combination of the names of two of the producing provinces, Parma and Reggio-Emilia.

The first-known recorded mention of Parmigiano-Reggiano was in 1254 C.E., when a noblewoman from Genova actually traded her house in order to have a yearly supply of 53 pounds of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (we’re assuming she had a second house to live in) [source].

The popularity of the cheese spread throughout Italy, and soon, the rest of Europe.

During the 14th century, history has given us another mention of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio.

When describing an imaginary town called Bengodi, he wrote that there was “a mountain of grated Parmigiano cheese” where “dwell folk that do nothing else but make macaroni and ravioli, and boil them in capon’s broth, and then throw them down the mountain.”

Neither the cheese nor its production methods have changed substantially since the 1200s. The Consorzio Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano sees to that.

And we are grateful for their efforts!

It still begins with the cows’ feed, by the way.

According to the Consorzio’s regulations, cows producing milk destined to become Parmigiano-Reggiano can be fed mainly (70%) grasses and hay, with the grasses and hay produced in the Parmigiano-Reggiano area of origin.

Any fermented fodder, or silage, such as is commonly fed to dairy cows in the U.S., is forbidden.

The cows also cannot be fed any food of animal origin or any food by-product (another practice in the U.S.).
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT ITALIAN GRATING CHEESES
 
 
> THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEESES
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CHEESE 
  

When there’s a chill in the air, it’s time to make fondue or raclette.

Most Americans are familiar with fondue; less so with raclette (rah-CLET—photo #1).

Raclette is a melted cheese dish that’s easier to eat than fondue: no bread or veggies to get dropped and lost in the pot.

Raclette is a specific type of mountain cheese from the western Alps, where the mountains are the border between Switzerland and France.

In the taxonomy of cheese (categorization), it is technically a Swiss cheese.

But it is named after the French word racler, which means “to scrape.”

Raclette is warmed to melt it. In a restaurant, it is melted with a special heat lamp that holds a portion of the wheel and melts the top.

The melted cheese is then scraped onto a plate of boiled or roasted potatoes, cornichons and more (see recipe below). root vegetables, and meats.

You may not be having a festive Halloween this year, but you can make an at-home halloween more festive with a raclette dinner.

The recipe is below.

Raclette is also a great dinner party or buffet idea for when parties resume.
 

THE HISTORY OF RACLETTE

Traditionally, Alpine cowherds up in the high mountain pastures with their flocks would lunch upon boiled potatoes and cornichons, covered with melted cheese

At that time, this local cheese was unnamed: the generic “cheese” was self-explanatory.

When they’d get ready to camp for the night, the herders would place the cheese next to the fire, letting the exposed paste* (the top surface with the rind removed) melt into bubbly gooiness.

They’d scrape the layer of bubbling cheese over some rustic bread, eat and repeat the process.

Along with the bread, they might have brought boiled potatoes and cornichons.

The cheese subsequently was named raclette, for the way it was served.

When the melted-and-scraped cheese idea moved down the mountains into mainstream eating, additional foods appeared on the plate—all delicious when covered with melted cheese.

But then, what savory food is not delicious covered with melted cheese?
 
 
RECIPE: SWISS RACLETTE

Making raclette is as easy as melting the cheese.

While raclette-specific implements exist, you can melt it in a fondue pot or saucepan. The difference is that you’d pour the melted cheese onto the plate, instead of scraping it from the wheel.

Pour or scrape, it tastes the same: delicious.

Serve it with white wine. We nominate Gewürtztraminer, Gruner Veltliner or Riesling, although your favorite white wine is fine.
 
Classic Ingredients

 
Optional

 
 
RACLETTE EQUIPMENT

You don’t need to fasten a wheel of raclette into an industrial raclette machine, just to serve this charming melted cheese dish.

The mini raclette machine in photo #3 will do. But at $320, it may be a bit steep (not to mention overkill) for most of us.

For a budget solution, a $30 Partyclette works (photo #5).

Both are completely portable and very easy to use.

But remember, your fondue pot or a saucepan work just fine.

Happy melting!
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF RACLETTE
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEESES IN OUR CHEESE GLOSSARY

[1] Melted raclette cheese is scraped atop meats, pickles and vegetables (all photos © Murray’s Cheese).

[2] Raclette is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese that is washed with brine. The washed rind gives the cheese a bit of a “stinky” aroma, but the cheese is creamy and nutty, somewhat like Gruyère.

[3] Restaurants and home raclette lovers with a few hundred dollars can buy this special machine that melts the top of the wedge of raclette, that is then scraped onto the plate of food.

[4] Scraping the wheel.

[5] An inexpensive solution: the Boska Partyclette.

[6] You can buy slices of raclette for a sandwich, just as with other semisoft cheeses.

[1] Spicy beef dumplings with ginger scallion sauce (photos © City Dumpling).

[2] Vegetable dumplings, resplendent in their bright green wrappers.

[3] If you have extra fresh ginger, pop it into a glass of club soda (photo © Jan Schone | Stock Exchange).

Last night we ordered a dumpling sampler—30 Chinese dumplings!—from a new dumpling specialty take-out in town.

We had:

 
The dumplings were deliciously superior to typical Chinese restaurant dumplings.

But we were disappointed that the condiment sent with them was plastic packets of standard-issue soy sauce (and not even low sodium soy sauce).

This would not do, so we whipped up a ginger scallion sauce, using a recipe from Momofuku restaurant in New York City that we’d been meaning to try for a long time.

You can use it on anything, from Chinese and Japanese foods to:

 
Dip fries in it, for some variety.
 
 
INGREDIENTS: MOMOFUKU GINGER SCALLION SAUCE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adding more if desired.

2. SERVE, although ideally let the flavors meld for 15 or 20 minutes enhances the flavor. Store in a tightly-closed jar for up to a week in the fridge.

If you find yourself with a leftover croissant, don’t stick it in the freezer.

Here’s a delicious way to use to use it, from Sun Basket.

Bread pudding is a flexible dish. You can serve it at brunch, or as a dessert for lunch or dinner.

For a snack, it hits the spot with a cup of coffee or tea.

And this recipe is a triple comfort food: chocolate, custard pudding and buttery croissants.

You can enhance the bread pudding with caramel or chocolate sauce, even use it as the base of a hot fudge sundae.

Or, make it seasonal with a garnish of spiced nuts or candied nuts, and/or dried or chopped fresh fruits (photo #4).

More ways to make bread pudding more festive:

 
Here’s the featured recipe, with links to more bread pudding recipes below.
 
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE-CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds onto a small plate or bowl. Set aside the bean and seeds.

2. COMBINE the cream, vanilla bean and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Season with a pinch of salt, whisking occasionally, until small bubbles appear around the edges and steam begins to rise. Immediately remove from the heat. But while the cream mixture warms…

3. PREPARE the egg yolks to make the custard. Set out a medium and a small bowl. Crack 1 egg at a time and separate the yolk and white. Place the yolks in the medium bowl and the whites in the small bowl. You won’t be using the whites in this recipe, so save the whites for another use (add to scrambled eggs or omelets, or these uses for egg whites).

4. ADD the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking until well combined. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or bowl. Discard the vanilla bean and set the custard aside.

5. TEAR or cut the croissant into 1-inch pieces. Coarsely chop the chocolate. Arrange the croissant pieces in an even layer in a small baking dish or large ramekin, then scatter the chocolate on top. Pour the custard over the croissant and chocolate. Place the small baking dish or large ramekin inside a medium baking dish and place both baking dishes in the oven.

6. POUR warm tap water into the medium baking dish, using a pitcher or kettle, filling it one-fourth full to create a water bath for the bread pudding. Cover both baking dishes with a sheet pan or aluminum foil. Bake until the custard is set, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. REMOVE from the oven, carefully remove the small baking dish from the water bath, and let cool to warm before transferring to individual plates or bowls and serving.
 

MORE BREAD PUDDING RECIPES

 
 
> THE HISTORY OF BREAD PUDDING
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF CROISSANTS
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF PUDDING
 
 
________________

*Truth to tell, we added extra chocolate.

[1] Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding, made with a leftover croissant (photo © Sun Basket), a premium meal delivery service focusing on organic and clean ingredients.

[2] This Mushroom Bread Pudding with gruyere and radicchio shows that bread pudding can be savory, too. Here’s the recipe (photo © Good Eggs).

[3] How about a seasonal bread pudding: Pumpkin Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce? Here’s the recipe (photo © Go Bold With Butter).

[4] Bread pudding garnished with raisins and candied walnuts. You can pass the garnishes in a bowl, along with a bowl of mascarpone or whipped cream (photo © Mackenzie Ltd).

[1] Serve a Sunday spaghetti dinner with GIY (garnish-your-own) platters of meats and vegetables (photo © DeLallo).

[2] You can roast just a few vegetables or a whole feast of them (photo © Pampered Chef).

[3] Add shishito peppers to pasta? Consider them a substitute for crushed red pepper flakes. Here’s the recipe from Nutmeg Nanny (photo © Nutmeg Nanny).

Today’s tip is about Sunday pasta dinner, and the “Sunday sauce” made for it.

We also expand the idea of a spaghetti dinner, with a DIY addition of meats and vegetables.

If you come from an Italian-American family, you know what Sunday sauce is.

While there are as many ways to make sugo della Domenica (Sunday sauce) as there are families who eat it, this much is agreed:

It is grandma’s (or Mom’s) special tomato sauce, hearty and homemade for Sunday dinner pasta.

If you add meat, it’s called Sunday gravy—although this latter Americanism is inaccurate*. Stick to Sunday sauce.

Recipes for Sunday sauce have different types of meat; often the “big three”: beef (ground or meatballs), pork and Italian sausage. Each of the cuts enhances the richness of the sauce, as they simmer away.

Some cooks add a bit of red wine to the sauce. Others are sure to add fresh basil and rosemary, in addition to dried bay leaves and oregano.

Why dried oregano? It’s actually better-tasting.

 
 
MAKE THE SAUCE OR BUY IT

There are many recipes online for Sunday Sauce recipe. This one from DeLallo uses imported San Marzano tomatoes, pork ribs, vegetables and spices—just like grandma used to make.

Since good tomatoes aren’t available year-round (and have gotten very pricey), imported canned San Marzano tomatoes make the best sauce.

Since October is National Pasta Month, we’d like to expand on the idea of Sunday sauce on pasta.
 
 
DIY SUNDAY PASTA DINNER

For a festive pasta dinner, we like to serve a basic spaghetti-and-marinara with DIY platters of meat and vegetables.

We actually prefer linguine (flat) to spaghetti (round), because it’s easier to twirl.

Our modern approach to a spaghetti/linguine dinner is to serve the pasta, tossed with the sauce, on individual plates, with each diner choosing his/her preferred add-ons from meat and vegetable platters.

Prepare what you like from this list:

 
Buon appetito (enjoy your meal)!

________________

*Many Italian-Americans call the sauce “gravy” because it has meat in it; the rest of us seeking an alternative to Sunday sauce would simply call it “meat sauce.” While the Italian word for sauce is sugo, and Sunday sauce is sugo della Domenica, the equivalent term for gravy is sugo d’arrosto, which means “juice of a roast.”

†Hatch chiles are seasonal, harvested in the Southwest from August until the end of September, although sometimes a few weeks earlier and later, depending on the weather.