Parmesan Reggiano which says on the label "Imported from Italy" and "Product of Italy" is widely available in the US. Same for imported Pecorino, Grana Padano and many other fine Italian cheeses. If these are fakes then the fakes are originating in Italy. As Sam said after, maybe they changed the name to something that sounds familiar in USA, I cannot say no because I was never in USA and so I never saw this product that you talk about :) But since in the last 3 years I lived and worked in 3 different european countries, I realized that there are many italian products that I can find abroad, produced in Italy, that they have a lower quality than other products you can find in Italy. Unfortunately, since I’m italian and I know how many italians think, they think to be smarter than the others and they try to cheat foreigners if possible (not all, of course, luckily, but there are many) So there are also many italian food factories producing not really good things, and they sell them only abroad. So there is to pay attention also to this, unfortunately. But if that "Parmesan Reggiano" comes from the same place that the real one, from the same Consortium, it should be ok But I still have some doubts (many!), since in the last years they fight a lot to defend their name, so it sounds strange to me they change the label name just to make it easier to read and say, also because I don’t think that Parmigiano is such a difficult name to read and say, even for americans :) and also because they ABSOLUTELY don’t want to be misunderstood with the others fake. A tip: to be sure that is the right one, on the crust it must have written "Parmigiano Reggiano" (maybe, but I cannot believe, they can change the name on the package, but I repeat, I have big doubts also on this, but on the crust no, absolutely they don’t write parmesan)...in this way, and with the same font, absolutely: http://www.serapea.it/images/ParmigianoForma.jpg And on the label, they must write the Consortium name, the name of the dairy where it’s made (and must be a dairy that is part of the official Consortium) and it can come only from the provinces of Parma (PR), Reggio Emilia (RE), Modena (MO), Mantova (MN) and Bologna (BO)...If what you buy comes from different provinces or even regions, it is a 100% fake made only for the market abroad, and a totally different cheese, of much lower quality. And again, on the real Parmigiano Reggiano label, ALL these data MUST be written. For the ones who are interested, here, on their official website, there are 5 very interesting PDF (not only in italian, but there are also in ENGLISH, good for you ahah), where are written the name of ALL the official dairies and ALL the other details, so you can see if what you buy is a real or a fake Parmigiano Reggiano: http://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/where/guided_tours_dairies/default.aspx I know, it’s a lot of pages, but it’s very interesting, and it’s the only way to understand if they are cheating you or not I hope all these words I wrote they will be useful at least to some of you! I’m proud to be italian and of the italian food, and I want that also who is not italian can appreciate the REAL italian products :) it makes me happy everytime I can show to my not italian friends the real italian food, and to see their amazed faces when they realize the difference :D it’s like if they would discover a new world some times ahah So read these words as a help. |
As someone who works in the industry, I can tell you that Parmigiano Reggiano is readily available, and is in fact, one of the most easily obtained Italian cheeses in the US. The word Parmesan is commonly used in the United States, which where your issue seems to be arising from. However, even the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano–Reggiano has adopted this nomenclature as evidenced by this website. |
Everybody gonna kook-a today! Awesome! |
Originally posted by graziano85 I did not actually look at the label, I just generically typed parmesan. I will look later when I go next door, but as someone below said, I’m pretty sure it’s legit. |
Originally posted by CheesedMan I was honestly hoping you’d chime in... was thinking of sending you a BM. Making it up to Jax soon? You should come to my silly malt likka tasting! |
Originally posted by drowland ...what cheese goes with malt likka? Velveeta? |
Originally posted by drowland CheeseWiz And I actually might be able to make it to the Malt Likka tasting. |
Originally posted by CheesedMan Ok, it seems so :) I didn’t know that page, also because often in the italian media they said that the Consorzio fights a lot against these fakes. What’s matter, it’s that in the end you buy the real one and not some fake :) that’s all, I wanted to make clear that, and pay attention to these fakes. Drowland: always read the labels! that’s the first step to know what you eat! (hoping that your nation has good laws about it, I don’t know) PS: but why on the official website, in the english version I mean, they didnn’t change the name? http://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/ Just a curiosity, since you work in the industry :) thanks |
Another thing: "Pecorino" is a generic word, in fact there is Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscano, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino di Filiano, Pecorino Siciliano (these five are the DOP, "protected designation of origin"), and many others. |
Originally posted by graziano85 The link I posted is the site that was developed specifically for the US market and is maintained by the Consorzio, it is their official site for the American market. If you go to the site I linked, and look in the lower left quadrant, you will see this: © 2012–2013 Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano–Reggiano It is an embedded link to the their original site, so both sites in all actuality are official sites of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano–Reggiano. Different markets have require different marketing strategies, that is quite simply why they created a site specifically targeting the American market. |
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