Single Herd Parmesan
One of the Swiss Browns
In the traditional Parmesan heartland, the foothills of the Parma Apennines, lies the tiny hamlet of Rivalta where Umberto Avanzini, his wife Carolina and son Davide farm 120 cows and make just 3-4 wheels (the average dairy produces 40) of Parmesan a day.
Unusually, the family keep Swiss Brown cows, a hardy mountain breed that produces less milk than the ubiquitous Friesian but of a much higher quality. Rich and sweet, it is ideal for cheese making.
a view from the farm
Umberto’s father was the first of the family to make the cheese in 1950 as the casaro at the Rivalta cooperative. In 1987 the family started making Parmesan using only milk from their own cows. 10 years later, worried about the use of pesticides in farming, genetic modification and animal welfare, Umberto took the unusual step of working towards full organic certification, deciding to grow all the cereals and alfalfa needed for animal feed and in 2005 their first wheels of organic, GM free Parmesan were ready. Instead of selling the cheeses young to Parmesan brokers, all the wheels are aged in the village thus retaining their unique mountain character.
The result is an exceptional cheese: despite the long ageing it remains sweet and buttery, soft and crunchy all at the same time. Grated onto hot pasta the sweet aroma is fantastic and the flavour rich and creamy. Cut slivers of it into a green salad or, better still, if you’re not in the mood for dessert, Umberto’s Parmesan is a great way to end the meal: serve chunks of it with chestnut honey and toasted walnuts for the perfect pud.
Elliott and Alison with Umberto