National Parmigiano Reggiano Day

National Parmigiano Reggiano Day celebrates the Italian cheese officially known as Parmigiano Reggiano. Made with raw, unpasteurized cow’s milk, sea salt, and special enzymes, each wheel takes at least 12 months—and sometimes as long as 40 months—to age. The cheese is produced in a region of Italy that includes Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena, as well as parts of Bologna and Mantua.

The holiday was founded by the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano in 2012 to commemorate the two earthquakes that struck Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region that May. The earthquakes damaged factories and caused years of cheese production to be lost. Chef Massimo Bottura and other chefs and restaurants worked to support the affected cheesemakers, including through a social-media effort centered on his Riso cacio e pepe recipe.

The first observance drew 40,000 online participants, and at least 360,000 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano were sold. Since then, the Consortium has encouraged restaurants, chefs, and families to prepare a dish featuring the cheese on October 27. Parmigiano Reggiano’s own history reaches back centuries: a 1254 notarial deed refers to Caseus Parmensis, or “cheese from Parma,” while the cheese’s production and origin markings were further defined in later centuries.

How to Observe National Parmigiano Reggiano Day

Celebrate by enjoying Parmigiano Reggiano in a favorite dish, or try preparing Riso cacio e pepe, the risotto and cheese recipe associated with the 2012 support effort. You can also learn more about the cheese and the Emilia-Romagna region, share a few facts with others, or plan a visit to the region and tour a dairy or cheese factory.

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