AUSTIN, Texas, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 16 at 2 p.m.
CDT, Whole Foods Market cheesemongers and even a few of the
company's regional presidents will flex their muscles while making
shoppers salivate as they crack open full wheels of the Italian
powerhouse – Parmigiano Reggiano.
For the third year, Whole Foods Market cheese departments will
spotlight two-year-aged 85-pound wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano as
it is traditionally cracked open by Team Members using official
tools (five different knives) from Italy's Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano
Reggiano in a 30-minute carving and portioning process.
"Whole Foods Market loves sharing our passion for Parmigiano
Reggiano during this annual event," said Cathy Strange, Whole Foods Market global cheese
buyer. "We are demonstrating the wisdom and expertise of 900 years
of delicious cheesemaking with our own carefully-chosen wheels --
produced only from spring and fall milk – that are aged for two
years to bring out the best of Parmigiano Reggiano's toasted,
buttery, and nutty flavors."
Shoppers are invited to visit their local store to watch the
simultaneous storewide celebratory crack-off, which earned the
company a 2008 Guinness World Record for "Most Parmigiano Reggiano
Wheels Cracked Simultaneously," and to sample the rich, flavorful
cheese.
Handcrafted by artisans in small batches in only one area of
Northern Italy, Parmigiano
Reggiano comes from cows grazing on green pastures with rolling
hills in a cool climate. The raw milk cheese – lower in fat than
many since it is made from partially skimmed milk – has a unique
salty crystal crunch that forms when amino acids break down in the
aging process.
Parmigiano Reggiano can be grated onto popcorn or into soups and
sauces as a tasty thickener. Parmigiano Reggiano shards can be
stuffed into dates with pecans and drizzled with wildflower honey
or simply served alongside olives and walnuts on a cheese plate.
Shaved, it can add a salty richness to an arugula and tomato salad
dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Light- to medium-bodied reds
such as Chianti, Lambrusco or Valpolicella and clean, Italian beers
such as Peroni provide classic pairings that rely on "terroir" or a
sense of place.
To watch cheesemongers in action, visit
youtube.com/watch?v=dCnAyvhrNTE. For recipes and more, visit
wholefoodsmarket.com/products/parmigiano-reggiano.php.
Ashley Hawkins, Whole Foods
Market
(512) 542-0381
Ashley.Hawkins@wholefoods.com
SOURCE Whole Foods Market