How close to the edge can I grate Parmesan Reggiano and still get good cheese?!
Answers: Right up to the toughest part of the rind. It is all cheese. Then, save the rind to use the next time that you make pasta sauce. Toss it into the sauce when cooking, it will melt down a bit into your sauce to give it more flavor and will act as a slight thickener. Remove the rind before serving. Additionally, it can be used in the same method to flavor and slightly thicken soups (the rinds are a key ingredient in a good Minestrone soup, for instance).
Grind it all up I say...
just up to the rind.
do not use the discolored ends for fresh grated toppings..but they can be used for soup or sauce!