Parmesan

Parmigiano Reggiano Few ingredients carry as much free glutamate as properly aged Parmigiano Reggiano, which is why a fine grating finishes a dish rather than just topping it. Every wheel is inspected and graded at 12 months, the minimum before sale, but the cheese only reaches its full typical character at around 24 months, and that older cheese is the one most worth buying for cooking. Keep the rinds in the freezer. Dropped into minestrone, a pot of beans or a simmering tomato sauce, a rind softens and seeds the whole pot with savory depth, then gets fished out before serving. Grated into breadcrumbs, scrambled eggs or a vinaigrette, the cheese adds salt and roundness at once, so season after you add it.