Parmesan Cheese - Florence

It is my understanding that hard cheese can be brought back without being vacuumed packed. I have brought back cheese several times. On one trip I was going from France to Iceland. I specifically asked the airline about my cheese. I was told that the Camembert (soft) might become a tasty treat for TSA, but that hard cheese was not an issue.

Parmigiano is best brought back vacuum packed as loss of moisture is to be avoided. You can buy it in most any modest sized grocery store in Italy. I think the cheese aged 24 months is best for general use. You can also find real vacuum packed imported parmigiano in many US groceries now, and Eataly stores carry 3 or 4 different age levels. For longevity never touch it with your fingers.

I would think any good grocery store in Florence would have it. Make sure it is labeled Parmagiano Reggiano.

https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com

I would prefer vacuum packed myself if carrying it unrefrigerated for many hours. Safer and cleaner.

We buy ours at Costco! It is dried porcini that I bring back from Italy.

Very high quality Parmegiano-Reggiano is widely available in the US. If you want, Costco will sell you an entire wheel! Unless you are in the region where it is made (you are not) where you may run across the Red Cow variety it’s not worth the trouble. Even the Red Cow is now available on Amazon! Bring home a souvenir you can look at and enjoy a long time instead.

We bought some in the markets in Florence and Rome (which are worth visiting in themselves). Seemed to be pretty widely available. Vacuum packed in manageable chunks. Vacuum-packaging is helpful if you're going to have it with you for a couple days before returning home, and to keep your baggage from smelling. I wouldn't be surprised if they have some for sale in the airport shops.

Parmigiano Reggiano! The French call it “Parmesan.”

Probably any grocery store has it vacuum-wrapped; that is how we normally buy it in Italy. If not, go check out Eataly.

Any supermarket sells vacuum-packed slices of Parmesan. A middle size supermarket branch close to S. Spirito is the Esselunga at Piazza Pier Vettori. Remember that "Parmigiano-Reggiano" is made in a small area around Parma, "Grana Padano" looks and tastes almost the same but is made in a much larger area.

You can find the exact same thing at Costco or Trader Joe’s. It will cost less in Italy but it is not a good use of your luggage space. Parmesan cheese is heavy to carry, if brought in considerable quantity.

What you should buy in Italy is:
Truffles
Bottarga
Porcini mushrooms (dry)
Packages of spices for sauces (available at Florence’s Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo)
All of the above are low weight high value items.

I also bring back some Bucatini pasta (hard and/or expensive to find in US)

Roberto, no need to schlep bucatini. Many brands available on Amazon. We use a lot as well. Rustic hell’s or DeCecco our favorites.

Roberto,

The first time I was in Italy and ate truffles, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. My question is where to buy them in Italy?
And do I need to put them in a checked bag on the way home? Or carryon. I'd be seriously disappointed if they were confiscated!

Thanks, I have learned so much from you over the years.
Mimi

Roberto, Any reason why coffee isn't on your list?

Rustichella-spell check be damned!

Roberto, Any reason why coffee isn't on your list?

Probably because for many Americans, drip feed filter coffee is their coffee method of choice, a method the Italians aren't particularly fond of and therefore not what their coffee is suitable for.

Parmiggiano Reggiano has to be (I think ... ) two years old. The markings on the rind give a good assurance you have the real thing. And yes, you can save the trouble by buying it at your Whole Foods or other supermarket. It's exactly the same product. Now, if you can find a special edition, or longer-aged product that you taste at a market stall, that might be worth the trouble to bring back.

I don't think the Cryovac sleeve is what makes the cheese easily importable. It's the fact that the product is a particular hard cheese, which, by Italian law, has to be aged over a year longer that the U.S. rules for importing cheeses. I feel confident that any Agriculture agent would recognize the rind of Parm. Reggiano.

Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions. We decided to skip the cheese purchase and focused more on some of the other items suggested.

On the Santo Spirito market on Sundays there is a guy coming from Parma area with exceptional Parmigiano cheese. You can have a bite to choose from - I like the 60 months+ old parmigiano best (rather expensive) but the 40 months + is already very good but not so exceptional.