The Costco Cheese You Should Always Put In Your Cart

Whether I'm at Costco to shop in bulk or just stopping in to pick up a bag of coffee or a couple bottles of wine (but not the kind that gave shoppers sticker shock), I always make a visit to the cheese aisle, just to see if there's anything new. I love cheese, and I love Costco's selection of both domestic and international delights. From blocks of Greek feta to Swiss Gruyere to huge logs of American goat cheese, there is a lot to choose from. But, if you're looking for an exceptional deal, consider the large wedges of Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. At the time of this writing, my local Costco was selling the Italian favorite for $14.61 per pound. For comparison's sake, my local Whole Foods had a different brand of Parmigiano Reggiano for $20.99 per pound. Both were aged for 24-months.

Sure, you've likely seen other "Parmesan" cheeses elsewhere for less per pound, but what makes the Costco version such a spectacular deal, is that the big-box company is selling the authentic, highly regulated Parmesan from Italy, while other cheeses labeled "Parmesan" from outside Italy are often considered to be of lesser quality. The real-deal Parm will always be attached to the cheese rind, which will be stamped with a dotted pattern that spells out "Parmigiano Reggiano." You might also spot some numbers. There will also be a "PDO" seal on the package, indicating that the cheese has been made according to strict Italian standards, which we'll dive into here.

The plastic wrapping on Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Cheese wedges will tell you a lot, most importantly that you've got an authentic Italian Parmesan in your hands. The seal bearing the words "Protected Designation of Origin" (PDO) tells you that the cheese has been made according to strict, traditional cheesemaking standards in very specific areas of Italy. True Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced in the regions of Parma, Bologna, Mantua, Modena, and Emilia Romagna. It's also been inspected by a professionally trained, master cheese grader. In addition, this cheese must have been aged for a period of at least 12 months, although the Kirkland brand is aged for either 24 or 36 months (look for the word "Stravecchio" if the cheese is aged for 3 years).

Parmesan that is produced outside of the aforementioned Italian regions are merely made in the style of Parmigiano Reggiano. Furthermore, the aging process isn't as strict; some American-made Parmesan cheeses only need to be aged for 10 months. Sure, they can be delicious on pasta, risotto, on soups, and shaved onto salads and even steaks, but many cheese experts will tell you that nothing compares to authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. And for the great price you can get it at Costco, the best is certainly attainable.