Grana Padano

After 12th-century Benedictine and Cistercian monks in the Veneto's Paduan Plain learned how to turn soft cow milk cheese into a hard cheese by heating it, removing the curd, and aging it, they realized they had discovered a longer-lasting cheese; one that could be stored up and wouldn't have to be eaten within a short few days. Originally called "caseus vetus" (old cheese), Grana Padano's grainy texture soon became known as "grana," the Italian world for grain. The "Padano" part of the name comes from the tradition of cheeses being named for their area of origin. By the 13th century, this cheese had become a luxury and so valuable that its molds were used to pay for goods.

Grana Padano is a hard, unpasteurized cheese with a thick natural rind. It has a fresh fruity flavor that hints slightly of pineapple.

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Region: Po Valley

Country: Italy

Milk Type: Cow

Milk Treatment: Raw

Rennet: Traditional

Rind: Natural