Our production

Where everything takes shape.
Our heart.

Our production

Every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano is the result of a process defined by precise gestures, slow timings, and extensive experience. At Caseificio San Simone, we transform milk into Parmigiano Reggiano by following a dairy tradition that demands care at every stage: from milk processing to curd cooking, from salting to long aging.

It is a journey where nothing is left to chance. The cheesemaker's expertise, the quality of the raw materials, and time are what transform milk into a unique cheese.

The tapping

It all starts with milk. The previous evening's milk is left to rest naturally, allowing the fatty part to rise to the surface. In the morning, freshly-milked milk is added, starting the process that will lead to the creation of Parmigiano Reggiano.

In traditional copper vats, the milk is carefully prepared to create the ideal conditions for transformation. This is where the quality of the raw material meets the cheesemaker's expertise.

Coagulation

The natural whey starter, rich in lactic ferments, and calf rennet are added to the milk. This is when the milk slowly begins to transform into curd.

Coagulation requires time, attention, and sensitivity: the cheesemaker observes and checks the consistency of the curd to understand when it is ready for the next phase. It is from this balance of nature, time, and experience that Parmigiano Reggiano takes shape.

Curd breaking

When the curd reaches the right consistency, the cheesemaker uses the "spino," an ancient tool used to break it.

The mass is fragmented into small, increasingly fine and uniform cheese grains. This is a delicate step that requires experience: the size of the grains will also determine how the curd reacts to the subsequent cooking phase.

The cooking

After the curd is broken, it's time for cooking. The temperature is gradually raised to about 55 °C, while the cheese granules separate from the whey.

Once cooking is complete, the granules settle at the bottom of the vat and slowly come together, forming a large cheese mass. It is from this mass that the future wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano will be born.

Rest

Once cooking is complete, the cheese mass is left to rest at the bottom of the vat. Time allows the granules to compact and the mass to reach the consistency required for extraction.

This is a seemingly silent, yet fundamental moment: after the cheesemaker's work, it is once again time that plays its part.

Hooping

After resting, the cheese mass is extracted from the boiler and divided into two parts, creating two twin wheels.

Wrapped in traditional linen cloth, it is placed in the mold, which will gradually give it the characteristic shape of Parmigiano Reggiano. This is where the mass begins to turn into a true cheese wheel.

Punching

Every wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano bears the marks of its origin. A special casein plaque identifies the wheel with a unique code, while the branding band imprints the month and year of production, the dairy number, and the distinctive dotted writing that runs along the circumference onto the surface.

These are marks that tell the story of the wheel and allow for its traceability.

The brine

After the first few days of processing, the wheels are immersed in brine, a saturated solution of water and salt.

Salting occurs through osmosis and contributes to the formation of the characteristics of Parmigiano Reggiano, preparing the wheel for the long journey ahead. Once this phase is complete, the production cycle makes way for aging.

The aging

After salting begins the longest journey: that of aging.

The wheels are transferred to the warehouses, where they slowly rest and are carefully monitored. Month after month, time transforms the cheese's structure, aroma, and flavor, developing increasingly characteristic aromas and textures.

The minimum aging period for Parmigiano Reggiano is 12 months, but the cheese can continue to mature for much longer. It is time, together with the cheesemaker's care, that determines the evolution of the wheel and its character.

The beating

After at least 12 months of aging, a decisive moment arrives: the hammering.

The cheesemaker and the Consortium's experts examine the wheel, also through the sound produced by the hammer. Hammering allows for the identification of any internal anomalies and verifies the suitability of the wheel to become Parmigiano Reggiano.

This is the moment when months of work are subjected to the judgment of quality: one wheel after another, only those that conform can continue their journey with the marks that certify their origin and quality.