Cocktail hour - what’s on our minds  

Planting Peas

Parmesan talk: gretchen’s obsession with Parma Italy, Parmesan Cheese and Prosciutto Di Parma (impressed google docs knows the correct “Di” that goes in there)

History

• Famous since the middle ages

• The original trademark was likely designed in 1612 and is still in use today

• ​​but true parmesan has its origins only in the “Reggiano” region of Italy. 

• Parmigiano is now a protected product, carrying the Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) designation.

• The traditions around this historical cheese are protected and maintained by the Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano (the Consortium for Parmesan from Reggiano). This body brings together all its producers and it formally established an official mark of origin for the cheese during the last century. The Consortium verifies that producers in the Reggiano region, or the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua, follow established production rules. These rules strictly lay down all the stages of cheese making. In addition to safeguarding production, the Consortium is also involved in improving quality, assuring authenticity and promoting knowledge.

Process/Sciencey bits

• Milk comes from cows ONLY during spring, summer and parts of fall, since the cows have to feed on green “Fodder”

• Evening and morning milks are mixed.

• The evening milk is left to stand overnight and then skimmed of its cream first

• Then the fresh full fat morning milk is then added, and then the milk is added to a large copper kettle

• The milk is then heated to 86 F (30 C) at this point then the rennet is added.

• The milk immediately starts to curdle and is fully curdled within 15 minutes. 

• They then use large “whisks” to break the curds into grain sized particles then they heat the mixture again to 113 F (45 C) slowly, and once that temp is achieved they heat it further to 131 F (55 C) to get the cheese to fully separate from the whey. 

• Then 2 Men (sorry this is just tradition and still seems to be a mostly man thing) lift the mass of cheese, weighing approximately 132 points, using a linen cloth then the mass is divided in half then placed into cloth lined metal or wood molds. 

• Once the cheese forms a rind it is placed in brine for 3-4 weeks. This is when the salt is added. 

Recipe Source

Spring Pea Soup | Better Homes & Gardens

Parmesan Crisps Recipe | Giada De Laurentiis | Food Network

Ingredients 

5 cups shelled peas

2 14 ounce cans chicken broth 

2 small  (or one large) heads Boston or Bibb lettuce, torn into small pieces (I’d imagine any mild lettuce would do, Iceberg, romaine)

12 green onions, sliced

3 tablespoons snipped fresh tarragon

1 ½ - 2 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk

Salt

Black pepper

6 slices French bread, toasted

2 ounces prosciutto, cut into thin strips

⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)

Parmesan cheese

Special Equipment 

Recipe says Dutch Oven - a pot is probably fine if that is what you have. 

Blender or stick blender

Steps in Detail

Step 1

In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine peas and broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 6 minutes. Add lettuce and green onions. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes more or until peas are tender. If desired, use a slotted spoon to remove 1/3 cup peas; reserve for garnish. Stir in tarragon. Cool slightly.

Step 2

Transfer one-fourth of the soup to a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth. Repeat with remaining soup, blending or processing one-fourth at a time. Return all of the soup to Dutch oven. Stir in half-and-half to reach desired consistency; heat through. Do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

Top each serving with a slice of French bread, some prosciutto, and some feta cheese. If desired, garnish each serving with reserved peas and a tarragon sprig.

All About Serving and Cooking With Parmigiano-Reggiano

Parmesan - Wikipedia

The Difference Between Parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano

The history of Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano), our history - Consorzio Vacche Rosse