Parmigiano Reggiano is a world-renowned cheese of higher than average quality.
This is down to the use of very strict specifications and a refusal to compromise. On my long journey, I met a producer who made me ecstatically happy.
Bonati is the name of this enduring and long-established family, now entering its fourth generation of Parmigiano Reggiano producers. Father Giorgio and son Gianluca produce a Parmigiano Reggiano that is out of the ordinary in terms of taste and longevity. It is sometimes left to age for up to 25 years which is somewhat of a record!
Nothing is left to chance. The goodness of this cheese is the result of hard work – first in the fields, then in the dairy and finally in the cheese cellars.
We begin in the centuries-old meadows in the lower Parma region owned by the Bonati family, where native grasses rich in extraordinary rare essences flourish and which are then transformed into a fragrant hay rich in valuable nutrients.
The Bonati cows, also family-owned, are very partial to it and in return give milk that is nothing short of extraordinary.
In every granule of this magnificent cheese you can feel and taste all the goodness of this wonderful milk. That is why I was so impressed by this Bonat cheese, the meaning of which is its unparalleled goodness.
Bonat spends its youth in cool maturing rooms, lovingly cared for by the passion of father Giorgio.
Once the first 16 months have passed, it is ready to be initiated into society, with its freshness, aroma and youthful flavour. After resting for many years on wooden boards, ‘Il Bonat’ becomes a grown-up gentleman, a man of the world, and this can be observed in the many white dots that have formed in the paste, the tyrosine crystals, a sign of excellent quality and perfect seasoning.
Its delicate aroma, with hints of fresh milk and priceless aromatic plant essences, when young, become more and more intense as the years go by, reaching spicy notes and scents of tobacco leaves when mature, always retaining its incomparable sweetness and harmony.
This ‘Bonat’ is well travelled and we find it on the Asian market, in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, as well as the United States and Northern Europe. It never stops. Other markets and other cheese fans are all waiting in the wings to catch on!
“Il Bonat” Parmigiano Reggiano DOP in the kitchen
Italy is certainly the only country in the world where cheese takes centre stage in the kitchen. The list where cheese is the main ingredient is endless. Every region of Italy has its own cheeses that chefs turn into fabulous dishes. There’s an endless array of choices, each with its own traditions and unmistakable characteristics.
However, we have a cheese that unites all chefs, from the islands of the South to the highest mountains of the North. It’s a great cheese that the whole world is envious of and one that every pantry should hold, both in our own homes and those of the great starred chefs. It’s Parmigiano Reggiano of course! And what’s its unique selling point? Its versatility and goodness.
Three great chefs from different parts of Italy have chosen a great Parmigiano Reggiano, Bonat, for their recipes.
The flavour and aromas of Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano evolve over many years. Every recipe needs the correct seasoning.
And here are the Rosemary biscuits with Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano DOP panna cotta (read the recipe)
The fusilloni rigati from Pietro Massi’s Marche pasta factory, served with potatoes, mussels and 24-month-old Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano, is a delicious recipe created by the great chef Fausto Ferrante in his restaurant ‘Da Fausto’ at Fondi in the province of Latina. (Read the recipe)
Can you already smell the head-turning aroma of the steaming guinea fowl stuffed with radicchio and chestnuts, served on a bed of cream of 36-month-old Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano? It’s the recipe of master chef Gianfranco Allari. (Read the recipe)
Here is the recipe for Scalloped duck with Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and blueberry sauce (Read the recipe)
Another wonderful dish where Parmigiano Reggiano takes centre stage are the cheese dumplings, served with malga butter and a snow storm of 48-month-old Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano, prepared by chef Martino Rossi of the splendid Rifugio Fuciade in the heavenly Trentino Dolomites. (Read the recipe)
The great and constant commitment of Giorgio Bonati and his son Gianluca to produce this jewel in the diary crown together with their passion for their land and their animals are the real ingredients of the magnificent Bonat Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.
Cheese has so many wonderful stories to tell!
Az.Agr. BONAT
Via Bosco, 3 Piazza di Basilicanova
43022 Montechiarugolo (PR) Emilia – Romagna
Tel +39 0521 681707
info@bonat.it – www.bonat.it
