Do not confuse Parmigiano-Reggiano with Parmesan! They are 2 completely different things! Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow’s milk and is aged for at least two years. It can only be produced in one of the following areas of Italy: Bologna, Reggio Emilia, Mantua, Modena, or Parma (from which the name of this cheese originated). Italian law states that only cheese produced in these provinces may be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano.”

While most people think that “Parmesan” is the English translation of “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” it is instead a completely different and inferior product. There is only one “King of Cheeses”, and it is called “Parmigiano-Reggiano” – in English as well!