Grana (cheese)
Encyclopedia
Grana originally referred to a class of hard, mature cheese
s from Italy
which have a granular texture and are often used for grating
. These cheeses are typically made in the form of large drums. The structure is often described as crystalline
, and the drums are divided by being split with a fairly blunt triangular knife
designed for the purpose, rather than being sliced, cut or sawed. Within the European Union
, the term Grana is now legally protected by Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin
, such that only Grana Padano may be sold using the term in EU countries.
The two best-known examples of grana-type cheeses are Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano. The two cheeses are broadly similar, with the difference that everything that the former is, the latter is less so: less crumbly, less sharp, less grainy, etc.
The main difference between the two is that cows producing Parmigiano-Reggiano eat only grass and cereals (no silage
),
no preservatives and no antibiotics. Cows that have been treated with antibiotics are
suspended from production of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Silage
is a fermented forage that requires the addition of a natural preservative (lysozyme
) to Grana Padano.
Other Grana cheeses include:
from the Po Valley
(Valle Padana), Northern Italy
, with a distinctive granular texture (the word "grana" in Italian means "grain").
Created by monk
s nearly 1000 years ago as way to preserve the surplus milk their herds produced, they invented a cheese that could withstand the test of time.
The cheese became so popular that certain varieties of Grana cheeses became well-known such as Grana Lodigiano, Grana Emiliano, Grana Lombardo and Grana Veneto.
However, when Italian law Number 125 from 10 April 1954, defining the designations of Italian cheese origins, was applied, it was asked that the designation of origin Grana Padano be granted, as the term Padano was considered the most suitable to reunite, under a more broad geographical term, the different varieties of Grana cheese, that were produced in the various regions of the Po River Valley.
Therefore, from 1954, the type Grana has been absorbed in the species represented by the new designations Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and as such does not exist anymore as designation of its own.
The presence of Trentingrana is not an exception, as it has been granted - in view of a legal ruling (D.P.R. 26/01/87) and due to particular methods of production - the possibility to specify the area of production (independent Province of Trento) though still remaining to all extent subject to Grana Padano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin
, in Italian Denominazione di Origine Protetta), as it maintains all its characteristics, having to comply with the same production standard and subjected to the controls and services of the Consortium for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese.
Therefore, within the European Union, the word Grana forms an integral and essential part of Grana Padano PDO, and as such, cannot be used for trade within the EU in disjunction to the word Padano, and must refer only to cheeses that have been distinguished with the Grana Padano PDO status. This was also confirmed in 2007 by a ruling of the First Instance European Court of Justice
(12 September 2007, case T-291/03).
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
s from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which have a granular texture and are often used for grating
Grater
A grater is a kitchen utensil used to grate foods into fine pieces. It was invented by François Boullier in the 1540s.-Uses:...
. These cheeses are typically made in the form of large drums. The structure is often described as crystalline
Crystallization
Crystallization is the process of formation of solid crystals precipitating from a solution, melt or more rarely deposited directly from a gas. Crystallization is also a chemical solid–liquid separation technique, in which mass transfer of a solute from the liquid solution to a pure solid...
, and the drums are divided by being split with a fairly blunt triangular knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
designed for the purpose, rather than being sliced, cut or sawed. Within the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the term Grana is now legally protected by Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
, such that only Grana Padano may be sold using the term in EU countries.
The two best-known examples of grana-type cheeses are Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano. The two cheeses are broadly similar, with the difference that everything that the former is, the latter is less so: less crumbly, less sharp, less grainy, etc.
The main difference between the two is that cows producing Parmigiano-Reggiano eat only grass and cereals (no silage
Silage
Silage is fermented, high-moisture fodder that can be fed to ruminants or used as a biofuel feedstock for anaerobic digesters. It is fermented and stored in a process called ensiling or silaging, and is usually made from grass crops, including corn , sorghum or other cereals, using the entire...
),
no preservatives and no antibiotics. Cows that have been treated with antibiotics are
suspended from production of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Silage
Silage
Silage is fermented, high-moisture fodder that can be fed to ruminants or used as a biofuel feedstock for anaerobic digesters. It is fermented and stored in a process called ensiling or silaging, and is usually made from grass crops, including corn , sorghum or other cereals, using the entire...
is a fermented forage that requires the addition of a natural preservative (lysozyme
Lysozyme
Lysozyme, also known as muramidase or N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase, are glycoside hydrolases, enzymes that damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in a peptidoglycan and between...
) to Grana Padano.
Other Grana cheeses include:
- Granone Lodigiano (also called Tipico Lodigiano), produced in the Province of LodiProvince of LodiThe Province of Lodi is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lodi.It has an area of 782 km², and a total population of 209,874 . There are 61 comuni in the province . As of May 31, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
- Trentingrana, produced in and around TrentoTrentoTrento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
- Gransardo, from SardiniaSardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
History
Grana originally described a type of hard cheeseCheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
from the Po Valley
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain is a major geographical feature of Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of 46,000 km² including its Venetic extension not actually related to the Po River basin; it runs from the Western Alps to the...
(Valle Padana), Northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, with a distinctive granular texture (the word "grana" in Italian means "grain").
Created by monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s nearly 1000 years ago as way to preserve the surplus milk their herds produced, they invented a cheese that could withstand the test of time.
The cheese became so popular that certain varieties of Grana cheeses became well-known such as Grana Lodigiano, Grana Emiliano, Grana Lombardo and Grana Veneto.
However, when Italian law Number 125 from 10 April 1954, defining the designations of Italian cheese origins, was applied, it was asked that the designation of origin Grana Padano be granted, as the term Padano was considered the most suitable to reunite, under a more broad geographical term, the different varieties of Grana cheese, that were produced in the various regions of the Po River Valley.
Therefore, from 1954, the type Grana has been absorbed in the species represented by the new designations Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and as such does not exist anymore as designation of its own.
The presence of Trentingrana is not an exception, as it has been granted - in view of a legal ruling (D.P.R. 26/01/87) and due to particular methods of production - the possibility to specify the area of production (independent Province of Trento) though still remaining to all extent subject to Grana Padano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
, in Italian Denominazione di Origine Protetta), as it maintains all its characteristics, having to comply with the same production standard and subjected to the controls and services of the Consortium for the Protection of Grana Padano Cheese.
Therefore, within the European Union, the word Grana forms an integral and essential part of Grana Padano PDO, and as such, cannot be used for trade within the EU in disjunction to the word Padano, and must refer only to cheeses that have been distinguished with the Grana Padano PDO status. This was also confirmed in 2007 by a ruling of the First Instance European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
(12 September 2007, case T-291/03).