Grana Padano

Grana Padano is a cheese originating in the Po Valley, in northern Italy. It is similar to Parmesan but with less strict regulations governing its production. This hard, crumbly-textured cheese is made with unpasteurized cows' milk that is semi-skimmed. To preserve the authenticity of the manufacturing processes and raw materials used to make this cheese, Grana Padano was registered as a denominazione di origine controllata in 1955, and as a European Union protected designation of origin (PDO) in 1996.[A] Outside of the EU, its name is protected in several other countries based on the Lisbon Agreement and bilateral agreements. The Italian word grana refers to its grainy texture, and the demonym padano means 'from Val Padana' (the Po Valley). Grana Padano was developed by monks of Chiaravalle Abbey in the 12th century. It can last a long time without spoiling, and is sometimes aged for up to two years. It is made in a similar way to the Parmesan of Emilia-Romagna, but over a much wider area and with different regulations and controls.

Source: Wikipedia