Grana Padano DOP: Monastery Cheese from the Po River Valley

You love Grana Padano. When a chef offers to grate it over your dish, the answer is always yes. Here is the next step in knowing this sweet, nutty cheese: the story behind it, and the centuries of tradition and years of work in every wedge of Grana Padano DOP.

Its origins: monks and cucina povera

Grana Padano dates back to the Middle Ages, when cucina povera, the no-waste "poor cooking" style, was the peasant's guide to survival. To stretch ingredients between seasons, people preserved food in ingenious ways, from sun-drying to salting.

In 1135 A.D., Cistercian monks built the Chiaravalle Abbey in a marshy area in the heart of the Po River Valley. With no riches of their own, they began growing crops and raising livestock. Soon they produced enough food to feed themselves and the nearby community — plus a surplus of milk. To save that nutrient-rich milk, they created the recipe for a cheese that could keep.

The monks settled on a process to transform their fresh milk: cook it slowly, add rennet, leave the wheels in a salty brine, then store them in the cool cellars of the monastery. The cheese that resulted was dense and grainy. It marks the start of grana ("grain"), the first name for Grana Padano.

How Grana Padano took off

Over the next few centuries, dukes and farmers, peasants and princes all fell in love with Grana Padano. Its rich nutritional properties, long shelf life and deep flavors crossed class lines.

In recent centuries, copycat cheeses appeared on the market. To separate genuine Grana Padano from imitations, the Grana Padano Protection Consortium was established in 1954. It brings together all the producers, affineurs (experts who age cheese) and traders of this formaggio. In 1996, the European Union granted the cheese DOP status — denominazione d'origine protetta, or Protected Designation of Origin. Every time you pick up a wedge of Grana Padano DOP, you know it is the real thing.

What makes Grana Padano DOP different

Inspired by the monks' centuries-old recipe, each wheel of Grana Padano DOP follows a unique procedure, repeated in exactly the same way. It is made only in the Po River Valley, in Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto and some provinces of Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna.

• The milk. Cheesemakers start with unpasteurized, semi-skimmed milk from cows raised on a controlled diet of fresh or stored forage and greens, sourced only in the legally designated area.
• The cauldron. The milk goes into traditional copper cauldrons shaped like upside-down bells, where expert cheesemakers separate the curd and whey. After about an hour, the cheese is extracted and cut in two equal portions — the "twin wheels."
• The mold and brine. Each portion is placed in a steel or plastic mold, where it takes its final shape and receives the Grana Padano marks of origin. It then rests in a salt brine. From cauldron to brine bath, this stage takes anywhere from two weeks to 30 days.
• The aging. The wheels go to a maturing warehouse, where they age at controlled temperatures for at least 9 months and up to over 2 years.
• The inspection. In the ninth month, every wheel is examined with traditional tools: a hammer, a needle and a probe. Wheels that pass are fire-branded, which guarantees the quality required for Grana Padano DOP.

As it ages, Grana Padano develops a firm, thick, deeply straw-colored rind that protects the fragrant, unmistakable flavor of the cheese.

How it tastes

Crumbly and crystalline, Grana Padano DOP is sweet and nutty, with aromas of butter and hay. The cheese evolves as it ages. A nine-month-old wedge is a different experience from a two-year-old one. The older the cheese, the more pronounced the flavors: Grana Padano DOP becomes more savory and complex, with a more crystalline texture.

How to enjoy it

Enjoy the cheese on its own every now and then. Invite food-curious friends over and taste the difference between ages. Or place it front and center on a cheese platter, perhaps with earthy, intense Italian prosciutto, fruit and honey. Grana Padano DOP is also a star when freshly grated or thinly shaved over almost any dish, even dessert.

When you finish your wedge, keep the rind. Brush and clean it well, then add it to your next farro, soup or risotto. As the dish cooks, the rind melts and adds flavor and texture. You can also cut it into small cubes, microwave them for a few minutes until golden and enjoy them as croutons.

Buon appetito.