Not just any old Parmesan...

Julie enjoyed a few days away in Bologna, and one of her highlights was visiting a couple of our long standing producers.  Julie has been working in the Italian Purchasing part of the business for a year now and she took advantage of her holiday break to visit our Parmigiano Reggiano cheesemaker and also trek northwards to see the beautiful vineyards of Villa Spinosa just east of Lake Garda.  While others like to laze on a beach, Julie likes to explore regional food producers!

So much changed for Lorenzo and Maura, Parmigiano Reggiano cheesemakers, after the devastating earthquake in May 2012.  The original farm was destroyed and Le Marzette moved to their current facility just outside Mantova in Reggio Emilia. 

The 550 Friesian cows produce milk for 50 wheels of cheese a day, 365 days of the year; unlike everyone else dairy farmers can never down tools for a public holiday.  Their cheeses are stored in a temperature and humidity-controlled unit alongside other local cheesemakers cheeses and while it looks impressive it is still very much organized and run by the cheesemakers to ensure the ripening and maturing process adheres to the strict Parmigiano Reggiano format.  We like to choose from the January to June cheeses which age beautifully and we sell the three year aged cheeses in our three locations as well as online. 

We make our Pesto twice a week with a two year aged cheese as part of the selected cheeses for our recipe.  There is nothing quite like a freshly made pot of Pesto for your pasta or to mix into a risotto or in Spring salad with roast chicken.

Thank you to Mauro, Lorenzo, Caterina and Giancarlo for taking Julie on such a wonderful tour.
On day two of Julie's Italian trip, she headed north to visit Villa Spinosa in Negrar in Valpolicella just East of Lake Garda. Villa Spinosa is a leading producer and their vineyards are spread across a beautiful landscape as far as the eye can see. 

A wonderful lunch was prepared by Piergiovanni of gnocchi, frittelle and local cheese, all enjoyed and washed down with their Figari, Jago and Amarone wines. 

Patricia has known the family for over 25 years and the wines are perfect for hard and soft cheeses as well as the richer blues but not forgetting the cured ham Prosciutto San Daniele with its rich, fruity and silky taste and texture - a perfect foil for the wines.  The salty hit from the ham and similarly with cheeses such as Sant' Andrea, Asiago, Monte Veronese, Vezzena with their briny, crumbly flavours are matches made in heaven.  Look out for the wines and cheeses in our shops and on our restaurant and bar menus.