Parmesan is a hard, granular, pungent and salty
Italian cheese, made from raw cow's
milk. The original parmesan cheese is
Parmigiano Reggiano, made in the areas of Parma and Reggio Emilia, in Italy.
Grana Padano is another Italian hard and grainy cheese, very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano. Cheeses that are similar to Parmigiano Reggiano are often called parmesan. Parmesan cheese is widely used in pasta dishes, pizzas, sandwitches as well as salads.
Parmesan cheese is sold in whole pieces or grated. When buying parmesan cheese, always look for the original, Parmigiano Reggiano or
Grana Padano, and prefer a whole piece instead of grated.