Storing Parmigiano Reggiano in the warehouse is not the end of the production process.
You have certainly seen a master cheesemaker tap a wheel of Parmigiano with a small hammer.
Before it can be placed on the market, the Consortium’s experts check every single wheel to ensure that all quality standards of the production specifications are met. Among these checks is a mechanical method called beating.
Tapping Parmigiano with a small hammer
Sight suggests goodness, but it's not enough: a method is needed to 'peek' inside the wheel, without opening it.
The traditional tool used to test the quality of Parmigiano is the small hammer.
It is used to tap the entire surface of the wheel again and again, to assess the state of the cheese's internal structure. From the sound it produces, one can tell if the paste is homogeneous and compact or if there are defects due to acidity or bacterial action.
The tapper is a highly experienced person with a refined ear, who in a few seconds can detect variations in the wheel's sound and understand if it is good or needs further examination. A well-aged wheel produces a dry and homogeneous sound.
Spillatura and tassellatura
Spillatura is a slightly invasive method that involves extracting a very small quantity of paste by inserting a needle into the wheel.
The expert assesses the consistency of the paste as the needle penetrates, and when he extracts it, he can smell its aroma.
Only in case of strong doubt—a rare event, given the tapper's extensive experience—the wheel is also judged through tassellatura. In this case, a larger quantity of cheese is removed and then carefully analyzed.
Fire branding
At least 12 months of aging must pass before the wheels can be examined by the experts of the Parmigiano Reggiano Protection Consortium.
After this period, it is decided whether the wheel meets the requirements to be fire-branded and considered a PDO product.
All the Parmigiano Reggiano you find on the Caseificio San Simone online shop is rigorously controlled. We bring only the best to your tables!
