The Cheese Lady

Week of June 13.

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esterday was a big day for the women in my family. My mother, one sister, four sisters-in-law, five nieces and I traveled to Chicago by train to provide a baby shower for my niece, Erin who lives in Chicago and is expecting her first child next month. It will be the first of the next generation. As the oldest of 7, some of my brothers still have young children. The girl cousins range from 29 to 8 years old. Anyway we all loaded up, six in GR, six in Holland, and we were off.

T

he train to Chicago is always fun. The 3 hours provides ample time for visiting between train cars and eating lots of snacks. Erin met us in Chicago at Union Station and we headed off to the EL(I assume it stands for elevated train). We took the brown line to Wrigleyville and walked to Erin’s’ apartment. We’d brought the picnic lunch so it was laid out, eaten, pictures of a very big, pregnant belly taken, gifts opened and soon we were off to the main street to catch a cab back to Union Station. The train station was crowded. But we detoured to the Great Hall for a peek. I can’t resist the Great Hall. I love to imagine the people who have passed under it’s high ornate ceilings. Then we joined the crowds waiting for out of state trains. After boarding a full train we were off. On the way home we moved around, switching seatmates often and getting in last minute visits. Home.

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his trip was a great success. As Fagan women we have never gotten together en mas. A showing of 12 didn’t include my daughter-in-law who lives out of town and had to work, a sister who lives in Florida and a significant other in Boston. We did miss them. But 12 of us shared in the joy of a coming child. All of us watched my mother, who has an insatiable curiosity about the world, trying not to miss anything out the EL window and reading Erin’s new NOW WE ARE SIX book to the younger girls. Some of the girls had never been on a train, or the EL or in a cab. Maybe it not only bound us together as family a little more but also reminded us to be grateful for each other and our individual talents and strengths. We are all female and will always have that in common. It was a very long day. And I think a very nice one.

And somewhere in this there must be a cheese story . . . . Of course there is.

I FORGOT THE CHEESE FOR THE SALAD.

Now imagine being me, The Cheese Lady, and forgetting the cheese!

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO

Revered as one of the world's great cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano is moist and intensely flavorful. It's made by hand from the finest all-natural ingredients in Emilia-Romagna, the region in northern Italy that also produces prosciutto di Parma and Aceto Balsamico . Following a tradition almost 700 years old, cheesemakers age wheels 12 months or more before initial inspection by the Parmigiano-Reggiano consortium. Wheels that pass the test are branded and aged at least six months longer to become eligible for the consortium's highest rating. Delicious grated over pasta or risotto, Parmigiano-Reggiano is superb on its own, accompanied by a glass of wine. The rind can be used to flavor soups or stews. Properly wrapped, the cheese stays fresh for weeks in the refrigerator.