Shop Specialty Gourmet Imports (SGI) Distributor

Grana Padano was created at the beginning of the millennium by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle who used ripened cheese as a way of preserving surplus milk, for Grana kept its nutritional values and tastefulness for several years. The name Grana was used because of its granular texture which clearly differentiated it from other soft textured cheeses. Aside from this characteristic after which it is named, its size and external shape make it unique from the very beginning. Grana Padano uses evening and morning milk that is left to rest for a few hours so that it may be partially skimmed. Processing starts by heating the milk in big copper cauldrons and adding natural lactic cultures. There follows a series of operations which end about one and a half years later upon completion of the curing period. A golden oily rind encases a white or straw-colored fine-grained cheese with crumbly fissures radiating outwards from the center. There are many reasons for Grana’s success; the first is most notably its low fat content, as compared with many other types of cheese. The taste is fragrant and delicate, and the cheese preserves its integrity for one or two years. Grana Padano is produced throughout the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto.

Recommended Use: It may be used as a table cheese with pasta dishes or for grating.