Wednesday, 19 August 2009

• Grated Expectations

  
  

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  Money is tight these days, but if you respect your food and your self, you'll drop that pre-packaged poor American excuse for Parmesan cheese and spring for something more respectable.
  
  Cheese always is under the risk that it may be expensive. I guess that owes to the cost of the production. What do I know? I ain't no dairy farmer, y'hear? In any event, I really feel like it is like night and day between using the cheap stuff and a nice fresh hunk o' cheese.
  
  But what cheese to grate and use? Well, I'm a little biased, but as I see it, it's hard to go wrong with a hard Italian cheese. Parmigiano-Reggiano is renowned for its ability to be grated and for its taste. I've even heard of it referred to by Mario Batali as "the undisputed king of cheeses." Then again, what does he know? He went to school at Rutgers.
  
  Oh, wait, so did I.
  
  My personal favorite, though, is Pecorino Romano. This white, sheep's milk-based cheese is great for grating and marvelous when melted. Bellissimo!
  
  Both Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano are a little sharp compared to your garden variety Parmesan, but are really significantly better, I feel. For best results, get your cheese by the block, piece, what-have-you and grate it or cut fresh. You can thank me later.
  
  Do you use high-quality cheese for grating?
  
  

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