Parmesan Cheese (reggiano)

[triffid]

Will be soon in CM, Bkk and Pattaya.

Would like to buy good quality parmesan. Ideally somewhere they'll vacuum pack a chunk for me. Any suggestion where I'll get the best deal?

[LtLOS]

Top Floor Emporium, Central Chidlom, Galleria basement....like buying gold, and make sure its parm regg, look at the seals on the pack or stamps on the outside. I like to use a micro plane and shave it on salads, use the local variety of parm from foodland for use in sauces or on bolognese. etc, a waste of good parm regg unless you like burning money.

[triffid]

Thanks for the Bkk shops cited.

How and for how long do you get to keep the parmesan? (I'll want to take back a chunk home - not too much nor too little.)

Apart from just eating it by itself with a glass of red wine, I grate parmesan on risotto and spaghetti (don't like the pre-grated stuff). And for this latter purpose, what's the "local" type at Foodland you mention? Local as in Thai? Or non-Reggiano italian?

[Phil Conners]

Local as in Thai. You can get both that and the real Reggiano in practically all (Farang) supermarkets in Pattaya, about 300B for a 150G block vac pack.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Phil Conners

[LtLOS]

Only thing I'll add is make sure you are getting real certified Parm Regg for the price. Over the years I know it's been mis marked, perhaps accidently or otherwise.

Check here or other places to see some of the seals that are used on the rinds. If I don't see a rind that has a portion of a seal or some sort of original marking and the sellers label says Parm Regg, I don't buy it.

http://www.parmaitaly.com/parmigianok.html

Very hard cheese like parm last a long time in the fridge, found one small piece in the back of ours that was probably 6 months old, still good.

Hint...don't throw out the rinds, use them when you make stock, chicken, beef, whatever.

Edited November 22, 2007 by LtLOS

[triffid]

Thanks for the responses. I'm now ready for my fortnight's trip starting next week.

[Trevor]

Anyone ever seen cheese marked as 'unpasteurized' ? I haven't, and believe Thai laws require pasteurization. Some imported stuff might squeak through, though. I never eat the pasteurized muck.