Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of Italian cheeses, the most copied and imitated, a symbol of our land and culture, is a cheese that boasts an ancient history. Already known before the 12th century, it is mentioned by Boccaccio in the Decameron: «and there was a mountain of grated Parmigiano cheese, upon which stood people who did nothing else but make macaroni and ravioli». Here I am to introduce and present to you a farm that, not by chance, has collected numerous awards and top placings, and which produces probably the best Parmigiano Reggiano ever made. I'm talking about the Bonat farm, which has been operating for four generations in Montechiarugola, in the Parma countryside, now run by Giorgio Bonati and his son Gianluca. Gianluca, whom I already find likeable because he shares my name, explained to me the three main reasons behind the excellence of their Parmigiano Reggiano. Firstly, family experience, which is fundamental for such a natural and simple product in terms of ingredients, made practically only with milk and natural rennet. Secondly, precisely, the milk: the Bonatis make their cheese exclusively with the very special milk from their 100 cows. This brings us to the third reason: their milk is so special and distinctive because their cows eat only the hay from the family's own fields. These are century-old fields rich in herbs and essences that are now rare and unknown in most hay today, and which give the milk, and therefore the cheese, absolutely unique aromas and notes. Besides being delicious, Parmigiano Reggiano is a food that is easily and quickly digestible, free of lactose and galactose, and highly proteinaceous. Experience and tradition are the foundations for a quality product. And we already know this. But when these two aspects combine with flair, imagination and a desire for innovation, we enter the realm of genius. This is how Gianluca created Bonat freeze-dried grated cheese, which is nothing more than his parmigiano with the water removed. The result is a delicious product, structurally different from classic grated parmigiano, with an enveloping and intriguing flavour. I strongly recommend getting to know it better. A friend of Giorgio and Gianluca's, owner of some renowned pizzerias in Trentino who had long used Bonat Parmigiano to enrich his most popular pizzas with delicious shavings, went to visit them at the farm and happened to taste the tomato passata that the Bonatis make for their own family consumption. He was so enthusiastic about it that he «forced» them to supply him with this passata, the only one he now uses for all his pizzas. Could I resist trying it myself? I can assure you it's the sweetest and most flavourful tomato passata I have ever tasted. This is proof that when you are skilled, have the know-how and the right land at your disposal, you can create true food excellences. Now it's up to you to use these excellences to create masterpieces in the kitchen, or simply to delight your palate with the best Parmigiano Reggiano ever!