POE: Parm Over Everything

Okay we already know that I love cheese, that’s a no brainer. But some cheese have a special place in my heart simply because they’re reserved for certain occasions. There are the cheeses I want to eat plain, the ones I want on a cheeseboard (all of them, who am I kidding), and the ones I want to cook with. 

Among that last category lies a very special little buddy who I keep in my fridge at all times, just in case, and his name is Parmigiano. 

Although we diluted Americans know it as Parmesan, we should salute it’s full glory as Parmigiano Reggiano, a beauty that cannot be replaced or substituted. Sure, there are some others that can be compared- Romano, Pecorino- but as great as they may be, nothing compares to pure, Italian Parmigiano. It’s so special that the name Parmesan can only be used in reference to the true Italian made stuff, and anything else is an imposter. 

Okay you get it, I love it. But let me explain why. 

It has so many uses! I mean, it’s fantastic in like, everything. Except maybe cereal, or brownies, but I wouldn’t be against trying it. 

In Soup

You’re probably thinking “cheese, soup? Really Taryn?” but yes. Cheese soup. More specifically, you can use the rind of a Parm hunk to make stock which comes out this creamy, rich concoction you can create all kinds of fabulous soups with. It melts so gloriously into soup stock while it’s simmering and basically adds a layer of salt without actually including salt.

In Sauce

I recently had the privilege of making true Italian sauce (not gravy because…no) with a true Italian and the difference that a little Parm makes it undeniable. At first, the sauce is just delicious with the fatty meat, the acidic tomatoes, and that sweet crisp taste of garlic. But then, THEN, you add in a whole bunch of grated Parm and suddenly there is an underlying salty, creamy flavor that made my heart explode with joy. 

I’m definitely not dramatic, right? 

As A Crisp

Did you know you can make crackers out of cheese? Yeah. Shred a bunch of the good stuff into a neat little pile on top of a greased lined baking sheet then bake it on a low temperature and watch it melt then crisp up into a fabulous little cracker. The real meta thing to do would be to top said cracker with more cheese…

On…Everything

Roasted vegetables, pastas, chicken, I don’t care, put Parm on it. A little broiled cheese on some roasted asparagus- yes. A crust of bread crumbs mixed with shredded Parm to coat your chicken tenders- even more yes. Grated delicately on a bowl of fresh pasta right out of the pan- obviously. 

What I’m getting at here is that Parmigiano is an underused ingredient in most homes. We typically think of it as an addition to the top of your pasta when you go to a restaurant and your waiter say “tell me when” and you never want “when” to come, but that would just be underestimating its power. 

I get so sad when I see refrigerators with that terrible plastic green container with the weird little white crumbs that pour out- I get it, that’s what most of you grew up with but it’s not cheese. A fresh hunk of Parm costs about 5-7 bucks, depending on the size, and it can last a long time. Even for me, the queen of queso, it lasts about a month. I mean, that’s a pretty decent cost ratio, right? 

I encourage you to swap out your shaker cheese for the real stuff and see how your life improves. Trust me on this one.