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I used up the last of the Italian Parmigiano Reggiano in my four cheese mac & cheese a few nights ago, so it was time to restock. And as I was wondering through Whole Foods to the grab some of the real stuff I spotted an American variety - Antigo's Stravecchio from Wisconsin. Hmmmm..... This looks interesting.

And interesting it was. A bit less hard, more moist, richer flavor, slightly different tang, less rind, not quite as salty. But still darn good Parmesan. In fact I'd say I might like this parm better for nibbling than the Italian stuff. It seems to be more about the flavor and less about the texture.

Still..... At the end of the day it's not Parmigiano Reggiano. Since it's less "rock-like" it doesn't grate as well without crumbling, and it melts much faster when grated on finished dishes as garnish. But I'm quibbling at this point. Bottomline - It's really good cheese. And finding an American company making great Parmesan is a good thing all by itself.

One of the cool stories about the Antigo Cheese Company is that the original company decided to close the plant in 1993. But the employees and the dairies decided to buy the whole thing and keep it running. Good for them, and good for cheese.