Kraft, Parmesan and Shortcuts

Filed in archive News on February 9, 2006

Original Parmesan cheese is called Parmigiano Reggiano and only around 600 manufacturers from Parma and nearby provinces can lay claim to the name. The same type of cheese made elsewhere is simply Parmesan although it might follow the required process such as the length of time to cure, which takes around two years.

In the US, the standard curing time for Parmesan is ten months. Kraft Foods Inc. however, has claimed to have found a way to shorten the process to six-months. As expected, this announcement has drawn a lot of criticism both from the Italians and the domestic artisanal cheese-makers. You can make sure tampering with tradition will not be taken lightly.

I do not know much about cheese-making but I know how properly cured Parmesan cheese tastes. I also know that just like in cooking and other forms of curing, shortcuts may approximate the real thing but sooner or later something will expose the cracks, so to speak.

In this development I tend to agree with Kraft's critics. They should change the name of their product from Parmesan to something else. "Call it the green can cheese. Their sales aren't going to suffer at all," says Catherine Donnelly, co-director of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese on her interview with South Mississippi's Sun Herald on the article Kraft says it can speed Parmesan. I suppose another name doesn't have the same appeal as Parmesan.

If they do put this out in the market, the cheese lover that I am would probably have a taste but I was also brought up with much respect for tradition. It is not for the sake of tradition per se but for their inherent values, in this case when only time can develop the flavour, texture and aroma of a proper Parmesan cheese.

Hmmm... the current Kraft label says "100% REAL PARMESAN CHEESE NO FILLERS". I wonder how they define "Parmesan" now and when they take shortcuts.