Interesting article in the NYT about regional bank Credito Emiliano holding Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as collateral for loans to producers: In Italy, Parmesan as Collateral for Bank Loans
The system has been in operation since the medieval, and it’s still working well today.
Each round of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is the Cucina Povera way to preserve 550 liters of milk so that it may be consumed any time.