Don't give up on Parmesan

Don't give up on enjoying Parmesan just yet!

Parmigiano? Parmesan? Whatever you call it, it's delicious and a welcome addition to so many dishes. Recently, I shared a story with you all about Parmigiano being a non-vegetarian cheese because of the use of rennet in the production. I decided to investigate a little and here are some things I've learned.

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• Parmigiano is named after the city of Parma in Italy and under EU law, can only be named Parmigiano if it meets specific criteria and is produced within the regions specified.
  
• In the U.S. for example, those same rules do not apply. There are many quality knock offs that name themselves Parmesan and still taste fabulous. The process may even be the same but because it is produced here and not there, it wouldn't be considered true Parmigiano.
• Parmesan is the English translation of Parmigiano
• There are many brands like Kraft for example, where if you read the ingredients, rennet is not one of them. It may not be true Parmigiano but it tastes great and you avoid the meat byproducts.

MORAL OF THE STORY - Don't give up on Parmesan! Most grated Parmesans I looked at did not list rennet as an ingredient so it's my understanding that they are vegetarian. Expect that if you buy a piece of Parmigiano that you're expected to grate, it's definitely authentic and has rennet.