Imagine, if you will, a school. An elite school. In the northern Italian countryside, this school takes in the children of only two families. But this school is even more exclusive than that. Not every child of these two families is invited to attend. Only the best and brightest are accepted and not all of students will make it through the rigorous process to graduation. The school is G. Cravero in the town of Bra in Piedmont and the students belong to the cheese families Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano. (No jokes about the milk products that come from Bra or I will keep you after class.) G. Cravero was named in 1855 after the founder Giorgio Cravero whose descendants keep the "G" in the family by naming a son Giorgio or Giacomo, alternating with each generation. They do not produce the cheese; they select the best and mature it in ideal surroundings until it has reached its height.
I have written about Parmigiano Reggiano twice before (cheese no. 1 and 53). How does Cravero's Parmigiano Reggiano compare to others I've tasted? First the texture is the perfect texture for PR. Not too dry so that it still has a great mouth feel but still aged enough so that it shreads well over pasta. The taste was not like other PRs I've encountered. To say it tasted a little like pineapple may sound pretentious, like a wine snob comparing a glass to a everything but grapes, but that was the first word that popped in my head at first bite. Slightly sweet with a detectablt level of acidity. Pineapple. One of my favorite fruits and a welcome flavor here. Pineapple is a symbol of hospitality afterall. For a price between the average PR and the top-of the-chart PR Vacche Rosse, Cravero was my favorite of the three.
I have written about Parmigiano Reggiano twice before (cheese no. 1 and 53). How does Cravero's Parmigiano Reggiano compare to others I've tasted? First the texture is the perfect texture for PR. Not too dry so that it still has a great mouth feel but still aged enough so that it shreads well over pasta. The taste was not like other PRs I've encountered. To say it tasted a little like pineapple may sound pretentious, like a wine snob comparing a glass to a everything but grapes, but that was the first word that popped in my head at first bite. Slightly sweet with a detectablt level of acidity. Pineapple. One of my favorite fruits and a welcome flavor here. Pineapple is a symbol of hospitality afterall. For a price between the average PR and the top-of the-chart PR Vacche Rosse, Cravero was my favorite of the three.
Name: Parmigiano Reggiano, Cravero or Cravero Parmigiano Reggiano
Type of Milk: cow's, pasteurized
Type: hard
Produced in: Italy
Date Purchased: 9/28/07
Date Eaten: 10/01/07
Purchased Where: online, www.artisanalcheese.com
Price: $20.00/lb.
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COMMENTS
Tomorrow night, 10/8/2007, in New York City Giorgio Cravero of G. Cravero will be the featured guest at Artisanal Cheese for "The Ultimate Parmigiano Reggiano Experience". I will be in North Carolina and not able to attend but anyone in the city who loves cheese should buy a ticket and enjoy.
Information is available here:
http://www.artisanalcheese.com/prodinfo.asp?number=17UPRE
Posted by Kirk | October 7, 2007 10:05 AM
Posted on October 7, 2007 10:05
Just found yor site, Would love to get more info, Thank you...
Posted by gerard rodriguez | October 10, 2007 8:15 PM
Posted on October 10, 2007 20:15
I'm glad to find it in my supermarket (in France), I couldn't eat pastas without small slices of parmigiano and some pesto ! รจ buonissimo ! (it's very good)
Posted by aks | October 12, 2007 3:12 AM
Posted on October 12, 2007 03:12
Nice site. I bookmarked it till I get a chance to read it all. Thanks for helping to educate people on real cheese!!
Posted by Jay | October 12, 2007 8:26 AM
Posted on October 12, 2007 08:26
It appears your XML link doesn't work. Is there a way I can syndicate your postings into my newsreader?
Posted by mark | October 13, 2007 10:30 AM
Posted on October 13, 2007 10:30
Re: California cheeses. You've got to try the POZO TOME from Rinconada Dairy. Christine raises sheep and makes great cheese.
Posted by Ann Hayes | October 14, 2007 2:23 PM
Posted on October 14, 2007 14:23
hey,
i live in Vietnam and all we get is various types of mass produced Brie from Oz (the country, not the old TV show)
Anyway, I gotta say that La Tur is better than you explained. Folks, in real life La Tur is one of those things you've gotta try if you're a cheese lover.
For the record; How often do you work out? :) i mean, you obviously love your cheese (as we all do), i can pack it away, but that treadmill is gonna see some mileage!
Posted by Waistliner | October 19, 2007 9:48 AM
Posted on October 19, 2007 09:48
You have a lovely site, and I want to thank you so very much for the time and effort you've put into describing these delectable cheeses. I will be back!
Posted by Sithean | October 20, 2007 5:02 AM
Posted on October 20, 2007 05:02