The one thing I buy duty-free from Rome

Cheese > Chanel

Hand to god, my brother and I bought 22 blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano on our way home from Rome last week. People splurge on purses in Paris and ship wine from Napa to New York. Is $500 of cheese really so different?

Perhaps. But you know what? I’m a Parm snob. A Parm snob who packs an extra bag just for her cheese. And I love that for me. Because this Parm isn’t any Parm. This is *THEE* Parm: the king of all cheeses. It’s made in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy by a family-owned producer that’s been around since 1895. It’s aged for 36 months (though I like the 24-month one too). And it’s peppered with so many crystals that your teeth tingle when you bite down. This cheese is — how do you say? — molto molto molto buono.

If you’re thinking, “Wtf is wrong with this girl, why can’t she buy cheese from Trader Joe’s like a normal person?” Well, I do buy cheese from Trader Joe’s like a normal person: Brie, Gouda, cheddar…but not Parm. There’s just no comparison when it comes to the flavor, texture, and sheer heft of Parmigiano-Reggiano direct from the source.

Throughout my years of visiting Rome, I’ve learned that airport cheese is somehow just as good as anything you’ll find in local salumerias. (Fight me.) It’s easier to take home, too, and often much more bang for your buck. So I stuff my extra bag with as many shrink-wrapped wedges as possible.

And then I eat it with everything. I toss it into salads, grate it on top of pasta, and throw the rinds into vegetable soup. I place chunks on cheeseboards, eat forkfuls as a snack, and even gift some to very lucky friends. This cheese makes food taste better, and I swear to god, this cheese makes my life better. My only regret, every time, is that I should’ve gotten more.