Aged for at least 10 months, Grana Padano is a hard, flaky, aged cheese produced in the Po river Valley similar to Parmigiano Reggiano made with unpasteurized cows' milk that is semi-skimmed through a natural creaming process. The name Grana Padano comes from the Italian word "grana", a reference to the characteristically grainy texture, and padano, indicating its origin "from Val Padana" (the Padana valley).