Cantarelli 1876, in the Parmesan history

The Parmesan old tradition is handed down from one generation to another. This food is a product of its terroir and made with care and passion. It helps to improve the efficiency of our own immune system and not only. Its unique flavour makes this cheese an excellence.

THE HISTORY OF PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

In the Middle Age, Cistercian and Benedictine monks were the first makers, because they were pushed by the research of a cheese able to last over time: thanks to the salt from Salsomaggiore saltworks and milk of cows raised in the granges, monasteries farms obtained a long-life cheese with a dry paste and large wheels.

THE PRODUCTION

Parmesan is only made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna to the left of the Reno river and Mantua to the right of the Po river. The animals are fed with care, complying with regulations that forbid the use of silage, fermented foods and meals of animal origin.

But how to prepare this delicacy?

The morning and previous evening milk is poured into the typical copper boilers featuring an overturned bell shape. About 550 litres of milk are needed for each wheel of Parmesan cheese. Milk coagulation occurs gradually and naturally thanks to the addition of rennet and starter whey obtained from the previous day’s production and rich in natural lactic enzymes. The curd is fragmented into tiny granules by the master cheese-maker, using an old tool called “spino”.
When cooking reaches 55 degrees centigrade, the granules sink down the boiler, shaping a unique mass. After about fifty minutes the dairyman extracts the cheese mass, creating two twin wheels. Cheese must be cut in two parts, wrapped up in a typical linen canvas and then put inside a strip in order to get its own final wheel

The CANTARELLY FAMILY: PIONEERS IN THE TRADITION AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

The Cantarelli family of Sant’Ilario d’Enza were pioneers in the export of cheese to South America and the United States at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to Massimiliano and his son.

After nearly 150 years, Cantarelli 1876 is now listed in the register of historic brands of national interest. The success of today is rooted in the experience of the past: for six generations, the Cantarelli family has passed down the art of aging cheese, a secret that lies not only in the gestures and the time of maturation, but also in the space.

Between 1950 and 1980, Bruno Cantarelli contributed to further international expansion, combining commercial skill with knowledge of the territory. Today, the company is leading by his son Massimiliano and his descendants, now in the sixth generation, maintaining the production of excellent cheeses with traditional aging in 19th-century stone warehouses.

THE ART OF PRODUCING EXCELLENCE

Even today we perfect the best Parmesan wheels inside our cellars built at the end of the nineteenth century. By thick stone walls it is possible to maintain a natural balance of temperature and moisture, and so to get a natural aging. During the aging process cheese expels gradually the excessive moisture and the remaining whey of making, keeping pace with the seasons. Through this specific microclimate we can follow the aging with no use of temperature control techniques, intensifying the Parmesan authentic flavours. Moreover, this process will allow us to obtain a product with a very thin crust as well, getting an intense aroma and a major return.

« Our Parmesan has an authentic flavour, aroma and fragrance as its old tradition. In our warehouses, we perfect the best selections of types Red Cows, Bruna Alpina, Mountain and Organic Product. The use of a sought-after conservation technology ensures that aromas and fragrances of this kind of aging are preserved during the time, also after the cut. Indeed, the product is processed without any temperature shock that occurs in normal packaging processes. Cheese can be vacuum-seal stored by the kind of packaging used, provided with an impenetrable barrier of aluminium against light and air to ensure a 2 years shelf life. Additionally, this freshness-saving package allows a long life in a refrigerated environment, after the opening as well. »