Costco is selling a whole giant 72-pound wheel of cheese

Unless you’re unlucky enough to be lactose intolerant, everyone dreams about cheese. No one who’s spent any time watching the sensual elastic stretch of melted mozzarella can honestly say that it isn’t one of the best things on the planet. Cheese is one of those things that no matter how much of it you buy or include in a recipe, there is always room for more. Name another food that you could genuinely make a case for being the world’s best starter, main course or dessert. We dare you. 

Ordinarily, even the most enormous cheese orders eventually come to an end. We might all wish it weren’t so, but everyone ultimately reaches the rind. Infinite cheddar or eternal edam is just one of those foodie pipe dreams that we all occasionally indulge. If only there was a way to purchase all the cheese you could ever want in one fell swoop. Enter Costco. 

The home of eccentric giant food products, Costco have made a name for themselves as the place to find stuff that you never knew you needed, but once you’ve seen you have to have. This is the business that gave the world the giant sprinkled birthday donut and an entire palette of emergency food. It is wondrous. As such, it should hardly come as a surprise to learn that Costco are now stocking a massive, 72-pound wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano, retailing for $900. Where do we sign up?

According to a report in Insider, the wheel itself is actually imported from Italy, and is made with milk from the Parma and Reggio Emilio provinces. All told, the cheese costs around $12.50 per pound, which includes both handling and shipping expenses. Shipping takes between two and three days, although the cheese can only be ordered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in order to avoid spoilage. 

As the Costco website explains:

“Parmigiano Reggiano is the apex of Italian cheese making and a symbol of Italian culture and civilization. Aged a minimum of 24 months, this product is brushed completely and regularly inspected to comply with the strict standards of the Consortium Parmigiano Reggiano. This extravagant blend of old world cheese making and unrivaled quality fuse to create a delicate and savory rich full flavor that has made Parmigiano Reggiano world renowned and an immediate favorite to those who try it. In addition to being eaten alone, shredded or grated Parmigiano Reggiano transforms any pasta, soup or salad into an exquisite gourmet experience.”

If there’s a better reason to spend $900, we’re yet to find it.