The Logbook: Collaterale di formaggio

There is a bank in northern Italy that accepts Parmesan cheese as collateral for loans.

The Emilia-Romagna region of Italy is the only area in the world where it's legally allowed to use the Parmigiano-Reggiano brand for its cheese. Often called the "King of Cheeses," Parmesan cheese is difficult and time-consuming to produce. Parmigiano-Reggiano can take between one to three years to fully age under perfect conditions. This long production process often causes cheese producers to have poor cash-flows and sometimes forces them to sell their cheeses before maturation at discounted prices.