# Why is there no Parmesan cheese in Eggplant Parmigiana? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552 "2011-02-25T06:38:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/1 "2011-02-25T06:38:34Z")
I love Eggplant Parmigiana. And chicken, veal, and any other parmigiana. But in my entire misbegotten life, any such dish I’ve ordered is generally laden with \*mozzarella \*cheese, not parmesan (or parmigiana). What gives? Is this some sort of cross-cultural mistranslation? Or do the two cheeses have different names in different languages? Or am I mistaken in believing that “parmesan” and “parmigiana” are the same thing, but in two different languages? In any case, it’s driving me IN-SANE!!! ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/2 "2011-02-25T06:47:26Z")
[Parmigiana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmigiana) And it should have some parmesan cheese in it. The ‘huge pile of melted mozzarella with a sliver of chicken in it’ style is completely Americanized. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/3 "2011-02-25T07:06:02Z")
“Parmigiana” simply means “from Parma,” so there’s no real reason to think a dish named “Parmigiana” necessarily has Parmesan cheese on it. That said, according to the Wiki link (and from what I understand), it’s a southern Italian/Sicilian dish, and appears to be a corruption of the word _parmiciana_. At any rate, some versions do have Parmesan cheese, some have pecorino, some have mozzarella, some have a combination. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/4 "2011-02-25T08:40:59Z")
For the same reason swiss steak doesn’t have any swiss cheese. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/5 "2011-02-25T12:56:13Z")
And Bourbon Chicken hasn’t got any bourbon in it, either. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/6 "2011-02-25T14:13:30Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > And Bourbon Chicken hasn’t got any bourbon in it, either. I feel like the kid who just got told there’s no Santa Claus… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/7 "2011-02-25T14:45:24Z")
Ah, but chicken marsala most definitely has marsala. Strangely enough, however, chicken Kiev contains no Ukrainians. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/8 "2011-02-25T14:51:39Z")
And chicken cordon bleu contains no blue ribbons. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/9 "2011-02-25T14:53:17Z")
Do I want to know about my Kit-Kat bar? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/10 "2011-02-25T14:53:27Z")
And Girl Scout cookies…? ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/11 "2011-02-25T14:54:57Z")
This is one of the most depressing threads I have yet encountered here. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/12 "2011-02-25T14:57:57Z")
I was thinking that Parmesan cheese isn’t on Veal/Chicken Parmigiana for the same reason that there are no bears on a barefoot contessa. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/13 "2011-02-25T15:13:30Z")
For the same reason that what is sold as crabmeat is actually factory made, and “beef” tacos are actually made with vegetable/soy protein. The fact is lying is endemic to American advertising-you can call something by another name, and unless someone calls you on it, you are OK to go. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/14 "2011-02-25T15:18:33Z")
There’s usually a bit of Parmesan cheese in the breading, right? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/15 "2011-02-25T15:27:14Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > And Girl Scout cookies…? No, those are made with real Girl Scouts. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/16 "2011-02-25T15:54:08Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, those are made with real Girl Scouts. And let’s not even start on shepherd’s pie or cottage cheese. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/17 "2011-02-25T15:58:26Z")
And hamburgers? shameless. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/18 "2011-02-25T15:58:51Z")
Or [Grape Nuts](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/136/how-can-grape-nuts-cereal-contain-no-grapes-or-nuts). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/19 "2011-02-25T15:59:32Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > There’s usually a bit of Parmesan cheese in the breading, right? The recipe I follow at home to make chicken parmigiana calls for some small token amount of the stuff in the breading mix. It didn’t seem like enough to make any sort of real impact on the recipe, frankly. Delicious dish, though. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552/20 "2011-02-25T16:03:57Z")
What is even funnier-Veal Parmegian often contains NO veal! It usually is some cheap cut of beef-that has been pounded to death, in an effort to tenderize it. Might as well try to eat an old shoe sole. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-parmesan-cheese-in-eggplant-parmigiana/572552.md?page=2)