Grana Padano

It grates like parmigiano, it resembles a parmigiano, it’s even sold next to the Parmigiano! But this, Grana Padano, is not Parmigiano. While it’s no doubt grand—at 85-100 lbs a wheel—the “Grana” refers not to it’s size but its grainy texture. The “Padano” refers to the Po River Valley in northern Italy, where the cheese has been made using techniques (the double milking of the cow, cooking the milk twice, brining, and aging for up to two years) mastered throughout centuries by the Cistercian Monks of Chiaravalle.

You can grate it and it will be delicious, but we recommend eating it on its own with a few crackers and perhaps a sweet jam to complement its nuttiness.

• Country/Region: Lombardy, Italy      
• Style: Grana 
• Milk Type: Raw Cow's Milk  
• Age: 12 months  
• Rennet: Animal 
• Texture: Hard