Radar Range: Cut the Cheese at Sigel’s on Thanksgiving Weekend

This just in from Jasper Russo, Director of Wine Marketing at Sigel’s:

Thanksgiving Cheese Sale – All Imported & Domestic Cheese 20% Off (11/19-11/28); Vintage 2001 Parmigiano-Reggiano Opening (11/21)

Parmigiano-Reggiano Opening

A rare, whole wheel of eight year old Parmigiano-Reggiano will be cracked opened and tasted

Sigel’s Addison (15007 Inwood Road)– 1pm Saturday, November 21st

Anyone can make a cheese called “Parmesan,” which is why large-scale food companies can market little green tubes of salted, granulated sawdust under that name. True Parmigiano-Reggiano, however, must be produced in a distinct region of Italy, by a cheesemaker who is a member of the Consorzio Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano, a self-governing body of dairies. The cheese is produced in accordance with strict regulations, and a fine-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the glories of the cheese world. The cheese is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk—an astonishing 160 gallons for each 85-pound wheel. The authenticity and quality of each wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano can be confirmed by looking at the rind with its pin dot marking showing the words Parmigiano Reggiano and an oval firebrand certification mark.

Every year we buy a number of newly released wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano and age them ourselves until we feel they are at their peak of ripeness. On the Saturdays before Thanksgiving and Easter we invite our customers to join us as we open up these wheels in advance of the holidays. So join us as we open up an eight year old (vintage 2001) wheel. Sample the King of Cheeses as well as enjoying a tasting of Italian wines.