Parmesan Cheese Shortage

A magnitude six earthquake hit northern Italy last week. I know what you're thinking: isn't this a food blog? Well, the earthquake hit the area of Italy famous for producing the special Parmesan cheese Italians are so fond of. Some of the worst damage was done to Italy's agricultural areas where Parmesan cheese is produced. Many huge wheels of the special cheese were damaged and ruined in the shake. What does this mean? It means there is now a shortage of Parmesan cheese in Italy. Cheese that has been produced within the past little while is now ruined, and it may take a while for repairs to be made to the production sites before they are up and running again. Meanwhile, Parmesan cheese, a gourmet treat to begin with, will become even more pricey. It may even become a rare find in stores now. I am talking about the authentic Parmesan cheese imported from Italy. Imitation Parmesan just will not do (once you've had the real thing, anyway). I am not a huge fan of Parmesan cheese myself, but I do agree that it makes a nice addition to pasta dishes, soups, sauces, and pizzas. Many Italian families use Parmesan cheese as an addition to their pastas, pizzas, and salads everyday. My grandmother buys real good Parmesan cheese in bulk, and always gives a portion of it to our family. We keep it in the freezer and take it out as needed. It comes in a huge block, and we cut off pieces and finely grate it. Mostly we use it on pasta. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother always made sure we were extremely cautious around the bowl of Parmesan cheese because it was so expensive, and she did not want us to waste any of it. Because it was ingrained into our heads from a young age that the stuff was a real treat, we still use it quite gingerly. In fact, today she actually encourages us to use more. That might change now with the current situation.

PHOTO CREDIT:"Parmesan-Cheese1.jpg"  http://howisitmade.org/how-is-parmesan-cheese-made/ . How Is It Made?, n.d. Monday, May 28, 2012.