Do you know what Parmigiano Reggiano Mezzano is?
As we know, Parmigiano Reggiano is a PDO cheese protected by a Consortium that rigorously monitors its production and aging, ensuring that the end consumer receives an excellent dairy product in every respect, meeting precise characteristics.
For this reason, a large number of marks are placed on Parmigiano wheels, with the aim of distinguishing each individual product and making it traceable.
Origin marks and Parmigiano branding
During the first hours of preparing the Parmigiano wheel, thanks to the marking band, origin marks are imprinted along the entire side of the wheel. This includes the typical dotted "Parmigiano Reggiano" writing, the "PDO and Consorzio di Tutela" writings, but also more specific information, such as the dairy's registration number and the identification mark of the production plant. A casein plate is then affixed to one of the two flat surfaces, indicating an alphanumeric code that aims to make the entire life of the wheel traceable.
After the first 12 months of aging, the wheels undergo a selection (called expertization) which determines which wheels can become first-choice Parmigiano Reggiano PDO.
It is at this stage that we encounter the so-called Parmigiano Reggiano Mezzano. What is it?
Parmigiano Reggiano Mezzano: the second category
Parmigiano Reggiano Mezzano is a second category Parmigiano: these are wheels that have defects on the rind or in the paste, which can vary from slight to medium severity, and therefore do not allow the product to age for a long time. Parmigiano Mezzano is therefore a downgraded category, recommended for fresh consumption as a table cheese.
How to distinguish Parmigiano Mezzano?
The wheels bear the oval "Parmigiano Reggiano" brand, but are distinguished from first choice thanks to the parallel grooves that are indelibly traced on the side of the wheel. With this long story, we want to emphasize how fascinating and complex the world of Parmigiano Reggiano is, whose production is a long, meticulous process, made up of continuous control and improvement steps. Try our Parmigiano Reggiano PDO now to discover all the nuances of the King of Cheeses, from 12 to 100 months of aging!
