Parmesan and balsamic tasting

Had a great day outside of Bologna touring artisan producers of Balsamic vinegar and Parmesan Cheese.  Certain requirements make it a strict process and not all of the wheels of cheese or bottles of vinegar pass and are labels as another type of cheese or in the case of the vinegar it goes back to be aged further to reach a certain required level of flavor and acidity.

Here we are at a small agricultural school outside of Bologna where there are teachings of the traditional ways to produce various things , most specifically here Parmesan.  This school raises its own cattle and uses its own grains and grasses to supplement the feed to strict standards.  The milk is then used for the cheeses that this place produces.  We saw parmesan, fresh cheese and marscapone made in a traditional hands on way.  This man has been making parmesan for 47 years! here at this school production facility he makes 3 batches/ wheels a day.  On this day we saw him make 2.  The milk was being stirred with a large stirring device that had been lowered into the milk while the enzymes were being added to cause the milk to separate into the milk solids and the milk water.  ( non of these terms is totally accurate as my memory is not great)  This heated milk turns in this great copper vat and the man would touch the curds often to see if the texture and size was correct.  He gave us a sample to try and it had the softness and chew of a mozzarella but more flavor.  He then left it to sit while he toured us around and explained that the importance of the butter fat content.  At a certain point he decided it was ready and it ( this big ball of cheese) was gently encouraged to the surface where it was caught in cheese cloth like a hammock, held for a while to drain and stiffen a bit then cut in half and placed into the molds.  These moulds are more like a large plastic band with the imprint of the maker and particulars as required by the consortium.  It then rested while draining and eventually would be placed in salt baths 18 days of bathing with nightly drying off time.  The it would go to the waiting room for the required period of time and subsequent inspection to pass the tests to be considered Parmesan DOP.  Have a look at a few photos.

The master in his domain sharing his knowledge

the fresh cheese tables and 

the inside of one of the large vats

The master and in the background the cheese awaiting the perfect time to be cut in half and placed into the mould.  Seriously heavy , takes 2 strong men. battery died so not many photos...

Balsamico

The family, the mother and the daughters.  The large is moved onto the next smallest and so on during the aging process.  6 years is the youngest, then 8,10, 12 25 50 and 100 years.  This producer had just run out of the 100 year old that sold for 300 Euros an ounce... The 6 year old which is considered not special was so fantastic far superior to anything we get regularly at home.  It sells here for 12 euro for 2 ounces, they also have a jelly tasty!.. A big thing here is to have the older stuff over ice cream, just a few drops on plain vanilla.  Yumm

A waiting room each battalion is kept logged and marked.  The house we visited was very old and historic.  The walls of the entrance hall were painted frescoes on the walls themselves old and beautiful.