The etymology of grana refers to the Latin granum , which translates as “grain” . The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) recognizes several uses of the concept.
Grana can refer to the act and result of granar : generating grains. In addition, the time it takes for a grain to curdle and the small seed of various vegetables is called grana.
The term grana is also used to name the cochineal . It is a short-legged terrestrial crustacean (its body is protected by a shell) that rolls into a ball when touched. This ashy-colored animal lives in environments with a high level of humidity.
Grana, on the other hand, is another name for quermes or kermes , an insect similar to the cochineal that is usually found on a tree called kermes oak. In this tree, the grana generates a gall that, when squeezed, releases a reddish substance.
That coloring matter obtained when the gall is squeezed is also called grain, as is its color. As a dye or dye, grain has been used in art for a long time. It is also used in the food industry and in the production of cosmetic products.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that Grana is the name of two European towns. Specifically, the first Grana is located in northern Italy, belongs to the well-known Piedmont region and has about 610 inhabitants.
Secondly, there is also the German town of Grana, which belongs to the municipality of Kretzschau and is located in the Saxony-Anhalt area.
“The Grana” o “The Garnet”, por otra parte, son apodos del Club Atlético Lanús de Argentina. Este nombre coloquial está vinculado al color de la camiseta que utilizan los deportistas que representan a esta institución bonaerense fundada en 1915.
Likewise, we have to highlight the fact that there is also a food that uses the term in question in its name. We are referring to the so-called grana padano, which is of Italian origin and is protected by its corresponding designation of origin.
Its history begins in the 12th century because it was then that it was made for the first time by some Cistercian monks, specifically those of Chiavaralle. Since then he continued to prepare and has achieved such importance inside and outside the country that it is considered one of the most significant in all of Italy.
It is made using milk from cows that are fed mainly with forage grasses, it is produced throughout the year and it should be noted that it is characterized by being semi-fatty and being cured very slowly, reaching a maximum period of up to a year and a half.
Its paste is hard and yellow in color, it has a fairly intense flavor and each cheese can weigh between 24 and 40 kilos. Likewise, it must be taken into account that it is widely used to prepare recipes for the so-called Mediterranean diet.
Hernán Grana , finally, is an Argentine footballer who coincidentally played for Lanús , in addition to performing for Boca Juniors , All Boys , Platense , Ferro and American teams , among other places.