Parmesan Cheese: Discovering the Wonder of the Fresh Stuff

On the left is what I've always bought for Parm. On the right is something new I've been trying...a brick of fresh Parmesan Cheese!


Why use fresh Parmesan Cheese? My own reasons are:

• Taste! Oh, it tastes SO GOOD!
• Cost. On the outset it may seem like you're paying more because a brick of fresh Parmesan costs more, but it also lasts 10 times longer (or more). The fresh is also used more sparingly as the flavor is stronger, and you can get more by grating the brick yourself as needed
• It's an attractive garnish on your plate

So how do you use it? There's a few different ways:

• Use a grater
• Use a vegetable peeler for thicker slivers of cheese (this is what I do--see the photo below!)
• Use a julienne peeler (or as my daughter calls it, "The finger-slicer") for thinner strips.
• Grate/peel it fresh at the table over your plate for super fresh cheese!