History

The origins of Parmigiano-Reggiano date back to the Middle Ages. The 12th century saw the appearance of the first small polygon-shaped booths where dairy products were made, in the areas adjacent to the four large monasteries located between Parma and Reggio, two of the Benedictine order and two of the Cistercian order. The quote about "grated parmigiano" taken from The Decameron suggests that the cheese's fame had spread considerably by the 14th century.