Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium Turns 80

A reception was held in New York on the eve of the Summer Fancy Food Show to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano (Consortium). The Consortium was originally established to “distinguish the ‘grana tipico’ cheese from others commonly mistaken for it, and incorrectly named as authentic Parmigiano Reggiano in northern Italian marketplaces. In so doing, the first regulations regarding cheese branding were established.”

The event was held at Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina at the fabulous Chelsea Market. In attendance were Riccardo Deserti, director of the Consortium, and Simone Ficarelli, head of international activities, and the party was organized and hosted by Nancy Radke, director of the U.S. Information Office of the Consortium. The dynamic and extremely knowledgeable Radke emphasized the history of the cheese, the sapere antico (ancient know-how) and sapore unico (inimitable flavor), all of which contribute to its status as one of, if not the greatest cheese in the world, and a true cornerstone of the specialty cheese business in America.

The history of Parmigiano Reggiano dates back over nine centuries, back to a time when the Benedictine and Cistercian monks devised a way to create a long-lasting cheese, the traditional production methods of which have been handed down through the generations from father to son and from cheesemaker to cheesemaker. Aided by modern tools and advances in scientific knowledge, those methods are still used today. Parmigiano Reggiano is a very versatile cheese, and as was evidenced by samples of three different ages out for sampling, the cheese continues to transform long after it is made. Unparalleled, of course, as a grating cheese, it is also delicious for snacking, cooking and even for dessert.

The popularity of the cheese has naturally spawned imitations and counterfeits around the world. The Consortium’s main role is in defending the brand and its producers, and safeguarding consumers from purchasing similar products that are very different in terms of flavor and aroma. In other words, they aim to guarantee that if one thinks they are buying authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, that is what they should be getting; and the Consortium works very hard to ensure that this happens.

In the words of the Consortium, “the 80th anniversary of the Consortium is about celebrating and paying tribute to its original aims: to protect and safeguard a know-how, a mastery, a name – Parmigiano Reggiano, for the benefit of everyone. And it means saying ‘thank you’ to all those people, the farmers, dairymen, delivery people, entire families and the Parmigiano Reggiano community as a whole, who have maintained the special quality over centuries.”

The Consortium, through the project Arca dei Ricordi (Remembrance Ark), is gathering images, documents and historical records connected to the world of Parmigiano Reggiano. Anyone who wishes to contribute can visit the dedicated section on the www.parmigianoreggiano.com website.