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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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Cheesemaker: |
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Proprietor: |
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| Affineur: |
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| City,
State: |
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| Region: |
Po Valley |
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| Country: |
Italy |
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| Milk: |
Raw cow |
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| Rennet: |
Calf |
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| Rind: |
Natural |
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| Texture: |
Firm |
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| Aging: |
2 years |
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| Size(s): |
80 pound wheel |
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