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Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano:  it’s the king of cheeses.  It has ancient origins and its characteristics have not changed over centuries, it has one of cheese’s longest documented histories.  In the 12th Century in Parma and Reggio Emilia Benedictine monks were already known for their production of hard cheeses.  The first written mention of a “formaggio di forma parmigiano” is in 1344 and in that same year Boccaccio describes a mountain made of grated parmigiano in one of his stories.  By the 18th Century there were around thirty dairies producing the cheese, today there are some 350 Parmigiano Reggiano producers.  Parmigiano Reggiano is made under very strict standards using the milk of cows raised under equally strict standards – hence the quality of Parmigiano is very consistent, always aiming for perfection in texture and taste.  The only flexibility allowed is in aging.  To be considered Parmigiano Reggiano it must be aged a minimum of 12 months and labels can have only have the designations of 18, 22 and 30 months.  A comparison tasting of these variously aged chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano (even better if you do it in Parma…) is really like being in heaven – you totally understand why it’s called il re dei formaggi!

Rocco Schiavone

As a reader of mystery books and Italian gialli I have great affection for Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano.  But coming in a close second is Vicequestore Rocco Schiavone, the protagonist of a series written by Antonio Manzini.  He’s bad-tempered and dour, dabbles in some illegal activities but is a good investigator.  He’s imperfect and intelligent.  He’s from Rome but has been posted to Aosta as punishment for taking the law into his own hands and beating up the criminal son of a well-connected person.  He hates everything in Aosta, the cold, the mountains and the ugly snow boots everyone wears.  He smokes weed in his office.  He has lovers but is in love with and has long conversations with his wife – who is dead.  The stories are gritty and tightly written, often a commentary on contemporary society.  They’ve also been adapted into a highly watchable and atmospheric TV series starring Marco Giallini who inhabits the role of Schiavone perfectly.

Leonardo’s Saint Jerome

Coinciding with the many events commemorating the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, the Metropolitan Museum is displaying one of his most extraordinary works, Saint Jerome in the Wilderness.  The painting is on loan from the Vatican Museums.  This unfinished work, which was started around 1483, brings to mind other paintings by Leonardo because of its background landscape and tones of ochre and green.  But  what draws one in is mostly the face and posture of the saint which strongly evoke his devotion and at the same time his torment.  It seems almost trite to say it but Leonardo’s psychological understanding and artistic genius are on full view in this painting.  See it.

The Negroni

After enjoying a Negroni as a weekend evening aperitivo I happened to notice a New York Times article discussing the cocktail – which is ever more popular and is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.  When I looked into the history behind the cocktail and its name I found the story goes that it was born in Florence sometime between 1917 and 1920 with the year 1919 being the most commonly referenced.  It was named after a local aristocrat, Count Camillo Negroni, who was known as an elegant bon viveur.  One day the count asked the barman of the Caffe Casoni if he could modify (or fortify) an americano, a popular drink then, by substituting gin for soda.  Soon the drink “in the style of the Conte Negroni” became the new rage.  The recipe for the classic Negroni is straightforward:  equal parts of bitter (typically Campari), sweet vermouth and gin. The drink must be stirred in a cocktail shaker and then poured into an ice-filled glass.  Usually an orange rind twist is added.  The alternative Negroni Sbagliato (or incorrect) came about when a barman used a brut spumante instead of gin while mixing the drink.  Nowadays there are myriad, often delicious, variations on the Negroni but the original version is hard to beat.

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