Parmesan
cheese is one of the most famous cheeses of
Italy. It is the same colour as
straw, is very hard and has a rich, strong flavour.
In order to maintain the high
quality of this cheese, the Italian
government has imposed strict rules on the way it is made. If a cheese maker does not follow the rules, he cannot call his cheese Parmesan.
Parmesan must be made by
hand, with fresh milk from
cows grazing near Parma between 1 April and 11 November each year. The cheese is left to
mature for at least eighteen months before it is sold.