Parmesan Cheese? I don't think so.

[duanebigsby]

12 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

No. "We" refers to entities that maintain high standards of food production. I'm afraid I cannot include Thailand in that description.

 

'Parmesan' is from a region of Italy. Anything else is perhaps made in the style of Parmesan.

We should have standards to ensure the quality of what we are eating. Otherwise any Tom, Dick or Harry can produce any old poo and trick people into thinking they are buying something else.

So these classifications provide for quality control.

 

For instance, I purchased Houmous in Big C that was imported from Australia. It isn't cheap.

It went straight in the bin after the first taste. Absolutely disgusting

If that is to what you have become accustomed, how would you know better?

 

So, thank goodness we have standards. 

It's not Parmesan. It might be made in the style of Parmesan.

 

I bought 'parmesan' in the USA. It's a joke. Completely different. Melts like Mozzarella.

Being a self proclaimed connoisseur of food, why didn't you just buy chick peas and make your own hummus? About a fifth the price, fresher, and  better tasting.

[KittenKong]

16 hours ago, giddyup said:

According to my Thai partner the 63.7% is listed as "pasteurised milk"

That sounds like a literal translation/explanation for Thais as to what cheese actually is. Milk plus a little salt and rennet, and even less coagulant and culture. But milk is far and away the main ingredient.

 

So I think that in this case the words "pasteurised milk" and "cheese" are interchangeable.

 

But I agree that for more than one third to be "not milk" is pushing it a bit.

[KittenKong]

35 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

Being a self proclaimed connoisseur of food, why didn't you just buy chick peas and make your own hummus? About a fifth the price, fresher, and  better tasting.

Yes, it's a doddle for anyone with a blender. Takes just seconds once the chick peas are cooked. I like to put lots of garlic in mine.

 

https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/quickhummousandolive_71473

[Petchou]

thai didn't create processed food industry.  the West is responsible for all the garbage food sold everywhere now.   

[giddyup]

18 minutes ago, Petchou said:

thai didn't create processed food industry.  the West is responsible for all the garbage food sold everywhere now.   

No one has blamed the Thais. The Parmesan I mentioned is imported from the US.

[elgenon]

17 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

 

No. It absolutely is not.

 

 

 

Great to know. Thanks. I hope I can remember.

[wump]

16 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Thai translation issues?  

For sure. Transcribed as 'Plasjurize' milk.

[marcusarelus]

9 hours ago, KneeDeep said:

Standard product in my local supermarket; 

 

Product at my cheese store in Thailand.  Parmiggiano Reggiano medium aged 24 months

[Nanaplaza666]

Its like that with more then 50% of all products, check the label before you buy then you cannot complain. Mushroom soup without mushrooms, lemon juice without actual lemons and so on and so on, check check check 

[whaleboneman]

14 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I guess there is only one kind of lager beer?  Or only one kind of pale ale?  Or one kind of porter?  Or one kind of Cheddar cheese? Or one kind of Bourbon? Or one kind of Caesar dressing? Or one kind of Brie?

 

The words Parmigiano-Reggiano stenciled on the rind mean that the cheese was produced in the areas of Bologna, Mantua, Modena, or Parma (from which the name of this cheese originated).

 

Parmesan is the English and American translation of the Italian word Parmigiano-Reggiano.

 

In the United States, the word "Parmesan" is not regulated. A cheese labeled as Parmesan in the United States might be genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it's more likely to be an imitation. Most U.S. versions are typically aged a minimum of 10 months.

 

In the United States, the word "Parmesan" is not regulated. A cheese labeled as Parmesan in the United States might be genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it's more likely to be an imitation. Most U.S. versions are typically aged a minimum of 10 months.

 

For example I like Castello Brie.  I've tried 50 other kinds and what you see below is my favorite.  I don't know where it is made or what you think about it.  It is my favorite brie.  I don't care what "We" think about it. 

 

Being an American I think Parmesan is a style of cheese and not a brand name.  I don't care what anyone else thinks about it.  To me that is a meaningless discussion.  Try a cheese if you don't like it don't buy it after doing due diligence like reading about it on ThaiVisa.  

Look this is obviously a parmesan thread - why do you have to drag that gooey brie into it?

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

Its like that with more then 50% of all products, check the label before you buy then you cannot complain. Mushroom soup without mushrooms, lemon juice without actual lemons and so on and so on, check check check 

I think I already said in my opening post that it was my mistake, I should have checked.

[marcusarelus]

3 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Thailand is not the place to live if you want quality food.

More accurately you should say, "not the place to live if you don't know anything about food."  I make more of my own food here like bread and sausage and pizza.  I find the pastries at "Cake wish" great and reasonable.  Other baked goods at "Bread  talk" and "Yamazaki" good and reasonalbe.  I go shopping in Bangkok and Pattaya once a month with coolers and ice so no problems.  I live by the sea so lobster and scallops are fresh daily and cheap.  I like the preponderance of Japanese food as I find it less fattening and healthier "Fuji and others"  I did find CM to be a culinary wasteland but I didn't like the air there either. I only stayed 2 years so maybe didn't see everything.  The boiled eggs were good at that hot springs though.   

 

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by marcusarelus

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

Look this is obviously a parmesan thread - why do you have to drag that gooey brie into it?

Because it's cheese and the point of the thread is getting good cheese. 

[Speedhump]

Better to eat sawdust. Parmesan and Grana Padano are being produced with milk from emaciated, sometimes lame cows kept permanently indoors. 

#notonmypasta

Google parmesan and grana padano cruelty, this is not a small thing. Very little production of these cheeses is humane. 

I asked two high class Italian restaurants in Hua Hin if they know whether their pasta cheese is cruelty free and they had no idea about the producers' methods. 

Producers have to to follow rules, but the rules make no mention of animal welfare. 

So eat fabulous Italian food, but say no to cheese on pasta. 

 

 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

If you will buy 'cheese' from the land of processed plastic, you deserve whatever you get.

[Bigz]

Oh, American crap. That explains everything. They won't be able to sell this stuff as 'parmesan' and mislead consumers in the EU do to the protected geographical indication scheme. European laws are quite good on consumer protection. American and Thai laws are lacking.

[Formaleins]

Best Before Feb 2016??????

[marcusarelus]

33 minutes ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

If you will buy 'cheese' from the land of processed plastic, you deserve whatever you get.

https://www.worldchampioncheese.org/

[marcusarelus]

21 minutes ago, Bigz said:

Oh, American crap. That explains everything. They won't be able to sell this stuff as 'parmesan' and mislead consumers in the EU do to the protected geographical indication scheme. European laws are quite good on consumer protection. American and Thai laws are lacking.

Cheese world championship  http://wccc.myentries.org/contest/results?event=61&eventClass=818

21. Parmesan

Chese Inc.

Green Bay, WI
United States

99.20

Best of Class

BelGioioso Parmesan

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.85

Second Award

Cello Artisan Reserve Parmesan Wheel

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.75

Third Award

Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan Wheel

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.70

 

Cello Copper Kettle Parmesan Wheel

Granarolo Team

Granarolo

Parma, Parma
Italy

98.40

 

[LawrenceN]

20 hours ago, giddyup said:

According to my Thai partner the 63.7% is listed as "pasteurised milk"

Correct. Next is wheat flour at 25%, salt 5%, and emulsifier 5%. That brings the list up to 98.7%. I checked Wikipedia. The flour is not allowed under Italian law governing Parmesan cheese. Maybe it's necessary to hold the flakes together when it's grated and stored in a can on a shelf. None of this seems especially onerous to me. I did a quick check on Kraft Parmesan, the biggest seller in the US. They have been under fire recently for wood cellulose fillers. So I think you can be happy with what you have.

[KneeDeep]

9 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Thailand is not the place to live if you want quality food.

 

It's ironic, because that was one of the reasons why I returned to Thailand. Because I enjoyed the eating.

But once I began to shop for myself....

[KneeDeep]

4 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Cheese world championship  http://wccc.myentries.org/contest/results?event=61&eventClass=818

21. Parmesan

Chese Inc.

Green Bay, WI
United States

99.20

Best of Class

BelGioioso Parmesan

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.85

Second Award

Cello Artisan Reserve Parmesan Wheel

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.75

Third Award

Cello Organic Copper Kettle Parmesan Wheel

Lake Country Dairy Team

Schuman Cheese

Turtle Lake, WI
United States

98.70

 

Cello Copper Kettle Parmesan Wheel

Granarolo Team

Granarolo

Parma, Parma
Italy

98.40

 

 

Why would you embarrass yourself by posting this nonsense?

This is the first anyone here has heard or seen of this "World Cheese Championship". 

Let's see, who runs this contest....oh...the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

Ridiculous. 

Some people just want to be able to sell their products in the USA.

[KneeDeep]

5 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

https://www.worldchampioncheese.org/

 

You are either being funny or really gullible. 

I didn't realise that Wisconsin was the centre of the cheese world. ?

You've been had.

 

[KneeDeep]

8 hours ago, duanebigsby said:

Being a self proclaimed connoisseur of food, why didn't you just buy chick peas and make your own hummus? About a fifth the price, fresher, and  better tasting.

 

Exactly what I intend to do when I run out of supplies.

[duanebigsby]

16 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

You are either being funny or really gullible. 

I didn't realise that Wisconsin was the centre of the cheese world. ?

You've been had.

 

You'd be surprised by how many fine quality craft cheese makers are springing up in USA and Canada.

A lot of fine cheese being made in Wisconsin and Quebec.

[BurgerGung]

Real Parmesan is pretty old & mature with a strong taste. And it will be >100 Baht per 100 gr, for sure

[marcusarelus]

34 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

You are either being funny or really gullible. 

I didn't realise that Wisconsin was the centre of the cheese world. ?

You've been had.

 

Tis you who are uninformed I fear.

 

1. Wisconsin boasts more national and international cheese awards than anywhere in the world. 

The winner of the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest is a hard sheep’s milk cheese called Esquirrou.

Esquirrou is made in France at Mauleon Fromagerie by Michel Touyarou

 

Gold medals were awarded to the winners in each of those classes, and U.S. cheesemakers grabbed 87 of the 121 category awards. Wisconsin was by far the most-represented state, taking 47 of those gold medals.

 

Sorry KneeDeep but you don't know much about cheese. 

 

If Wisconsin was a country, it would rank fourth in the world in cheese production, after the U.S., Germany, and France.

[KneeDeep]

19 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

You'd be surprised by how many fine quality craft cheese makers are springing up in USA and Canada.

A lot of fine cheese being made in Wisconsin and Quebec.

 

Actually I wouldn't be surprised. There are always going to be people who care about quality. 

But to suggest that Wisconsin is in any position to run a World Cheese Championship is patently ridiculous and for someone to use it to prop up their argument even more so.

 

[Shouldhaveknownbetter]

Just now, duanebigsby said:

You'd be surprised by how many fine quality craft cheese makers are springing up in USA and Canada.

A lot of fine cheese being made in Wisconsin and Quebec.

Do not worry about.  These people obviously have never set foot in the United States or California in particular.  Producers in the States were making fine cheese, olive oil and bread for a long long time.  It is about choice.  In the states you can buy the real deal imported, very good local, or like some say plastic imitation.  Up to you and your taste and the size of your wallet.  People from postage size countries may not have that choice.

[KneeDeep]

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Tis you who are uninformed I fear.

 

1. Wisconsin boasts more national and international cheese awards than anywhere in the world. 

The winner of the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest is a hard sheep’s milk cheese called Esquirrou.

Esquirrou is made in France at Mauleon Fromagerie by Michel Touyarou

 

Gold medals were awarded to the winners in each of those classes, and U.S. cheesemakers grabbed 87 of the 121 category awards. Wisconsin was by far the most-represented state, taking 47 of those gold medals.

 

Sorry KneeDeep but you don't know much about cheese. 

 

If Wisconsin was a country, it would rank fourth in the world in cheese production, after the U.S., Germany, and France.

 

Do give it a rest. Just because a foreigner took one of their cheeses to the USA in order to be able to enter the US market, doesn't make it the world authority on cheese.