Grana Padano DOP 1.2 Kg

The cheese:  Grana Padano DOP  is typical of the Italian Po River Valley. Fine and delicious, it has become a symbol of gastronomic excellence  "Made in Italy".  It is made from low-fat, raw cow's milk.  Grana Padano DOP cheese  is hard, semi-fatty, with a fine-grained structure. It has a straw yellow color and is surrounded by a hard, dark yellow rind. It has a rich aroma and a distinctive, persistent taste,  with an average maturation age of 16 months.

History:  The unique Grana Padano DOP cheese has been known since the distant 11th century. The creators and guardians of the authentic recipe, which has remained unchanged to this day, are Cistercian and Benedictine monks living along the Po River. The then hard cheese, which preserved all the nutrients of the milk during the ripening process, was called caseus vetus ("old cheese" in Latin), but was later called "grana" because of its granular structure. Grana Padano DOP cheese is both a wonderful food found on the tables of nobles and royalty throughout the ages, and a staple food for peasants in times of famine. In this way, it functions as a pillar of the popular gastronomic tradition. The tradition of producing Grana Padano DOP cheese has been passed down for centuries using the same methods that still guarantee the organoleptic properties and appearance that have made it famous throughout the world. The Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano (Consortium for the Protection of Grana Padano DOP Cheese) was created in 1954, and the cheese received Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) status from the European Union in 1996. Today, Grana Padano DOP is the best-selling DOP cheese in the world!

Production area:  Grana Padano DOP cheese is produced throughout Northern Italy and generally coincides with the territories of the Po River Valley region. It covers 5 regions: Veneto, Trentino-South Tyrol, Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna.

Serving suggestions:   With its elegant, pure and intense, yet delicate flavour, Grana Padano DOP is distinguished as an everyday table cheese. Grated, sliced or simply broken into larger pieces, Grana Padano DOP cheese is used both as an ingredient in meat or vegetable fillings, quiches or gratins, and as an addition to dried, fresh and stuffed pasta, rice dishes, risottos, soups and grain salads. In addition to being an addition to starters, enhancing their flavour, Grana Padano DOP cheese can be used for any other dish, improving the flavour without covering the other ingredients: grated on veal carpaccio, vegetables and egg recipes. It is wonderful in combination with fruit, jams, honey or mustards as well as in unusual desserts. Served as an appetizer, Grana Padano DOP cheese combines well with slightly sparkling or sparkling white wines. Served after a meal, it is recommended with aged red wine.