Cheese in Depth: Grana and Melting Cheeses

Cooked Curd Cheeses use Girth to Garner Flavor and Fans

Welcome to the latest chapter in the “Cheese In Depth” series. In the last installment, we explored the largest category of cheese, the aged cheeses. This month, it’s on to the big-daddy cheeses, the Grana and cooked-curd cheeses, veritable mammoths of the cheese case.

Early in my cheese career, working the cheese counter at Central Market in Austin, TX, one of my favorite moments came with the preschool tours when a dozen or so munchkins would come explore the world of food. Rounding the corner into the cheese department, their inevitable reaction was “Yay! CHEEEEESE!!”

Dwarfed by the massive, 15-wheel display of gorgeous, golden 75 pound wheels Parmigiano Reggiano, the kids – and many adults -- could barely believe the sheer size of these cheeses.

In this case, it’s the size that makes the cheese. The opposite of the diminutive ripened goat cheeses, these gargantuans achieve their ultimate flavor and unique granular texture through their heft. The large stature, along with the distinctive production technique, make these cheeses suitable for long aging and impart one of the most complex and robust flavor profiles in the world of cheese.

Reggiano and its sister cheese Grana Padano have been made in the fertile pre-Alpine valleys of northern Italy for centuries. An early incarnation of Grana was even included in the daily rations of the ancient Roman Legionnaires.

The cheeses are made using milk from carefully defined regions bordering the Po river in over 600 small cheese plants which produce 4 - 20 wheels a day. The cheeses require the daily milk production of 20 cows for a single 75 pound wheel of cheese.

Made in a similar fashion to other cheeses, Reggiano and Grana cheeses undergo one extra step. After the curds are cut into small cubes and the whey is heated, cooking the curds to remove extra moisture, similar to the way scrambled eggs firm up when exposed to heat. This reduction in moisture changes the structure of the curd, resulting in a dense, firm texture, perfect for aging and caramelizing the lactose, or milk sugar, resulting in a sweet flavor profile.

After “cooking,” the curd is pressed into drum shaped forms for several days before heading off to a salt water brine bath for up to three to four weeks. During this time, the cheeses absorb salt, lose moistusre and the rind begins to toughen.

Upon removal from the brine, wheels are dried and then sent to specialized aging facilities where they are carefully monitored and turned weekly during their 12-18 month aging. If the cheese is judged by expert graders to meet the strict quality controls of the consorzio who produce the cheese, a brand is seared into the rind, indicating exceptional quality and taste.

It is always a grand experience splitting a new wheel using the traditional almond and paddle shaped knives and traditional techniques. Newly split wheels reveal a gorgeous, amber colored interior with a cragged appearance typical of Grana cheeses. The flavor is equal parts sweet, buttery and savory, often with a distinctive aroma of pineapple.

When buying Reggiano or Grana Padano, be sure to purchase from a store that has high volume since older chunks suffer from oxidation and will be much less flavorful. In the same vein, always grate these cheeses just prior to using. Do not take the convenient way out and get pre-grated because the flavor will quickly suffer. Enjoy with sparkling wine or fruity reds and fresh fruit such as pears.

Southern Italy has its own version of cooked curd cheeses which are made with Sheep milk. Pecorino Romano is the most famous. The cheese has a similar, granular structure and an intense, salty, rich taste and is the ideal counterpoint to the tomato based cuisine of the region.

The other broad category of large-stature, cooked curd cheese hails from the Alpine regions of Switzerland and eastern France. The smooth surfaced, cooked curd cheeses are also known as Gruyère, Comté and Emmental.

Gruyère and Comté are essentially the same style of cheese though the former hails from Switzerland and the later just over the border in France. Emmental, the traditional Swiss cheese with large holes, or eyes, is the largest of all cheeses, often weighing up to 180 pounds. Large format cheeses were ideal for the snowy, Alpine regions and helped sustain a population during the long, harsh winters.

Produced in a similar fashion to Grana, with finely cut curds heated to reduce moisture, the cheeses are molded into broad round forms, the size of a large tire. Gruyère and Comté mature slowly in cool temperatures, producing a fruity, buttery sweet paste that is complex and memorable.

Emmental is aged at a warmer temperature and starter cultures within the paste release carbon dioxide which creates “bubbles” or eyes in the interior paste. The flavor is buttery and nutty with a distinctive finish.

The cooking process during production results in a cheese that has ideal melting properties. It’s no wonder that Switzerland’s national dish is Fondue. Equal parts of Gruyère or Comté and Emmental melted in hot wine makes a fabulous, stretchy feast that is perfect for fall our winter evenings.

Whenever you are seeking bold flavor and great melting abilities, just remember the mammoths of the cheese case, the cooked curd cheeses. You just can’t go wrong with their incredible flavor and richness gracing the cheeseboard or the top of your next casserole.

In the next installment, we’ll wrap up the Cheese In Depth series by singing the praises of the Blues!