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Parmigiano reggiano PDO: small guide to quality
The rind, if present, is not a relevant part in establishing the quality of the cheese, unless it is cracked. The rind and the area just below the rind must not be too thick (±1 cm is the standard thickness).
For the body of cheese, there are five criteria to bear in mind:
. structure: it must not have cracks or alveoli, i.e. in layman’s terms no cracks or holes.
. colour: more or less pale yellow (in summer months the color is slightly darker). The colour per se is not a discriminating factor, it is important that it tends to be uniform, for example, that there are no distinct areas of different colour between the areas closest to the rind and the "heart " of the wheel. This would be due to unsuitable ageing or a production defect.
. consistency: compact, fine-grained and suitable for a "radial break", i.e. breaking off in flakes. Unsuitable hardness (i.e. a certain elasticity or gummyness in the body) is the sign of incomplete maturation, too little ageing. When chewed it must manifest a correct balance between flakyness and softness and progressively melt, allowing the palate to taste its aromatic components as they are liberated.
. smell: a fragrant and delicate aroma but also intense, penetrating and persistent.
. taste: it must not be salty, nor piquant, acid or bitter. The ideal taste must be sweet, vaguely buttery and have the correct balance between being aromatic and tasty.
- Storage: the best packaging on the market are small MAP tubs (modified atmosphere packaging) or containers that allow the product to be stored without altering its sensory properties (or thermoformed, for example), which is different to shrinkwrap which does tend to compromise the surface tactile component of the cheese, albeit slightly.
Given that the cheese should be consumed in a few days to avoid the natural oxidation process that would compromise quality as it alters the characteristics, the product must be placed in the less cold part of the refrigerator and preferably in a closed container so that it does not come into contact with the air. Alternatively it can be wrapped in a clean odourless cloth, being careful not to place it close to strong-smelling foods (garlic, onions..) to avoid it absorbing these odours.
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