Lucini Italia Introduces Organic Parmigiano Reggiano

"MIAMI, Fla., June 25, 2008 – Super premium brand Lucini Italia™ is turning its discerning eye to the crown jewel of Italian cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano. After winning critical acclaim for its professional quality olive oil and other gourmet products, the company is introducing the first certified organic, individually boxed Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano for the American market this fall.

Handcrafted in small batches in Parma , Italy , Lucini® Organic Parmigiano Reggiano is a Stravecchio cheese which means it has been carefully aged for at least 36 months. The result is an ideal crystallized texture, a delicate salty flavor, and pleasant hints of hazelnut and almond.

“Home cooks and professional chefs looking for fresh, gourmet foods are now demanding that they be organic as well,” said David Neuman, Lucini Italia president. “We have always brought our customers the best of Italy , from exceptional ingredients to the most authentic recipes, and the newest addition to our Lucini Organic line, the Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano, unveils refined flavors while bringing the health and safety benefits of organic certification.”

Recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil for both taste and health, Lucini Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano is handmade in limited quantities with three simple ingredients: organic milk, GMO-free rennet and salt. Artisan cheese makers craft just six wheels of cheese per day. Only half meet the high standards required to carry the Lucini Italia name.

Pieces are hand-cut in Italy by artisan cheese makers then immediately vacuum-sealed on site to ensure the freshest, best tasting cheese possible. Unique to the American market, each carefully packaged wedge of Lucini Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano is placed inside a beautifully designed paper box reflecting the Lucini Italia brand and providing the convenience of nutrition information and the guarantee of European D.O.P. designation.

Like French Champagne, Italian Parmigiano Reggiano carries the “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” (D.O.P.) designation which requires that the variety be produced only in specific regions of Italy including areas of Bologna , Mantua , Modena and Parma . For American consumers in search of true Italian flavor, the D.O.P. label is a guarantee of origin as well as a testament to the traditional Parmigiano Reggiano process perfected by artisan Italian cheese makers over centuries.

“With the recent European Union ruling mandating that D.O.P. cheese carrying the Parmigiano Reggiano name must be produced only in specified regions of Italy, consumers can be assured that our D.O.P. Lucini Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano is the real deal,” said Neuman.

Available in premium grocery stores and specialty food markets nationwide this fall, the new Lucini Organic Stravecchio Parmigiano Reggiano will retail for the suggested price of $25 per piece. While hand cutting the cheese wheels naturally produces irregularities in the shape of individual wedges, every box of Lucini® Parmigiano Reggiano is guaranteed to contain at least 8 oz of cheese."

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