One Wheel, Endless Possibilities: A Week with Yancey’s Fancy Parmigiora
Our Week of Parmigiora: A Photo Diary
By Simon & Silvana Nankervis
In the 35-plus years we have been cooking together as a team, we’ve learned that a truly great ingredient doesn't just taste good—it makes the entire cooking process more enjoyable. We are passionate amateur chefs who love spending our evenings experimenting in the kitchen, dividing the prep work, and sharing a great meal.
Recently, we picked up a 3-pound mini-wheel of Yancey’s Fancy Parmigiora (pictured above). If you love the deeply satisfying, nutty bite of a classic Parmesan but hate the crumbly, fractured mess it leaves on your cutting board, we have found your new kitchen staple.
Over the course of a single week, this uniquely crafted cheese became the absolute MVP of our kitchen. Here is how one wheel transformed a week's worth of our shared meals.
1. The Slicing Test: Chicken Parm Schnitzels
While Silvana was busy pan-frying a batch of fresh chicken schnitzels, I took a knife to the edges of the wheel to createthick, uniform slices. We wanted to see if the Parmigiora lived up to its reputation for having a smoother, creamier body that didn't crumble under pressure.
To our surprise, the knife glided right through. We laid these gorgeous, uniform slices over the hot schnitzels and popped them under the broiler. Because it boasts a slightly higher moisture content than standard parm, the cheese melted into a bubbly, golden blanket that elevated our classic chicken dinner to a whole new level. No need for any other cheese here.
2. The Grating Test: Sweet & Bitter Greens Salad
For lunch the next day, we worked together to toss a fresh salad of crisp lettuce, earthy spinach, slightly bitter radicchio, and sweet sliced apples. A salad with this flavor profile begs for a sharp cheese to balance the sweetness of the fruit and the bitterness of the greens.
Using a cheese blade, we shaved wide, elegant shreds of the Parmigiora right off the wheel. Where a standard, dry Parmesan would have broken up into dusty fragments, this cheese yielded beautiful, continuous ribbons. It still had that delightful zesty finish and the satisfying crystallization you expect from a premium Parm, but it was infinitely easier to handle.
It was also incredibly easy to run over a box grater later in the week for an effortless weeknight pasta.
3. The Snacking Test: An Elevated Cheese Board
By the following weekend, our 3-pound wheel had been whittled down to a generous wedge. We decided to give it the ultimate test: serving it naked on a weekend cheese board alongside some softer cheeses and our favorite charcuterie meats.
It was an absolute hit. Because it slices and cubes so cleanly, it looks fantastic on a board and pairs beautifully with everything from cured meats to fresh fruit.
The Verdict: Why It Works
The secret to this cheese is in the moisture. Because it has a higher moisture content, it can't strictly be labeled a traditional "Parmesan"—but honestly, that’s its superpower.
That extra moisture is exactly what enables it to slice, cube, and grate without breaking up. You still get all the sharp bite, rich complexity, and crunchy crystallization of a long-aged cheese, but in a remarkably smooth, semi-hard body that skips the crumbling and goes straight to work.
Whether you are a home chef looking for an ingredient upgrade, a couple looking for a versatile weeknight cheese, or someone building the ultimate weekend snacking board, you need this in your fridge.
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About the Authors
Simon & Silvana Nankervis are passionate amateur chefs who have been cooking side-by-side for over 35 years. For this husband-and-wife team, the kitchen is more than just a place to make dinner—it is a space for collaboration, experimentation, and sharing a great meal (usually with a good glass of wine). Whether they are testing out a new artisanal ingredient, dividing up the prep work for a weekend feast, or perfecting a classic weeknight recipe, Simon and Silvana believe that the best food is always made—and enjoyed—together.