Parmesan, the Ultimate All-Purpose Cheese

I cannot emphasize how important it is to spring for the real thing — Parmigiano-Reggiano — which is only produced in Italy (only in a small part of Emiglia-Romagna, in fact). Look for irregularly sized chunks with a waxy rind marked with the name in the distinctive pinhole-punched lettering. Parmesan has a complex, nutty flavor and a slightly grainy but almost buttery texture that goes with nearly everything. You can blend it into batters and doughs, stir it into sauces and soups, melt it on anything, top salads with Parmesan shavings, or pass a bowlful at the table for sprinkling. To use, grate it finely or coarsely or “shave” it with a vegetable peeler.

And don’t throw away the rind: It is great for seasoning soups and stews. Cook chunks of it for 15 minutes or longer and it’ll become soft enough to eat; save the rinds in your freezer to use whenever you need to enrich a dish.

Cutting or Crumbling Parmesan

Real Parmesan has a granular, irregular texture; it’s almost never sliced like other cheeses. There are two easy ways to cut it:

It’s easy to shave Parmesan into small flakes, pulling a vegetable peeler toward you.	Use a small, not-too-sharp knife or other tool to break the Parmesan off chunks.