Cheese Identification - Italy Flashcards
Asiago (DOP)
Country: Italy Region: Veneto Size: 12-16 ins diameter, 5 ins high Weight: 15 lbs Milk: Cow Classification: Firm, Hard Rennet: Animal Rind: Natural Notes: Asiago is available in two types: Asiago Pressato and Asiago d'Allevo. The Pressato version is made with milk sourced from the low lying areas. It is a semisoft cheese with fairly large, irregular shaped holes.
Asiago d’Allevo is produced from raw milk from the Pezzata Nera and Bruno Alpina cows that graze in the higher mountain pastures.
The age of the cheese denotes its flavor profile. In younger “Mezzano”cheeses, aged for a minumum of three months, The texture is supple, semisoft, and even throughout, with a pale straw-colored interior dotted with occasional small holes.
Cheeses matured for at least nine months are known as “Vecchio” or “Stravecchio”
Bitto
Bitto is made from whole cow’s milk produced in the summer months around the Valtellina valley, to which must be added 10% to 20% goat’s milk. Adding a higher percentage of goat’s milk allows long aging of 10 years or more. However, due many uncontrollable factors, it is the dairyman’s job to determine how long to age each Bitto wheel.
This rare Italian cheese is aged and prestigious: the oldest block is from 1996 and is stored in the Sanctuary of Bitto, in Gerola Alta, where the cheese is produced. A whole cheese aged 16 years and weighing 20 kg (44 pounds) was sold to ProFood Hong Kong, which will distribute small portions of the cheese to several resellers all around China.
Bra (DOP)
Region: Cuneo, Piedmont Size: 15 ins diameter, 4 ins high Weight: 17 lbs approx Milk: Sheep, Cow, Goat Classification: Hard Rennet: Animal Rind:Natural
Produced in the lowland dairies surrounding the town of Bra, in Northern Italy, Bra Duro is made with milk sourced from the local breed of Razza Piedmontese cow. The word “duro” means rough, or rugged in Italian, and refers to the rustic appearance of the rind.
According to AOC (name protected) rules, milk for production must be drawn from two milkings on the same day and can occasionally include the addition of either goat’s or sheep’s milk.
There are several variations of Bra that have been developed over the years: Bra Tenero (a soft, young version), Bra Stravecchio (super-aged), and Bra Ciucco (rubbed in wine).
Bra Duro Vecchio is aged for about six months, which produces a firm cheese with mellow, toasty aromas and a hard, golden-brown colored rind. The texture is dense and compact with occasional small “eyes,” or holes, and is straw-colored.
Cacicavallo Silano (DOP)
Region: Calabria Size: Various Weight: 2.2 - 4.4 lbs Milk: Cow Classification: Firm Rennet: Animal Rind: Natural
Caciocavallo is an ancient cheese that is produced throughout southern Italy and the Balkans and is typically made with cow or sheep’s milk. We know of its existence in the ancient world through the works of Hippocrates, who mentioned the cheese in the 5th Century, BCE. The name, Caciocavallo literally means, “cheese on horseback,” referring to the way two cheeses are tied at the ends of a long rope and then hung over a rod to age. This makes the cheese look like a saddlebag thrown over the back of a horse.
Cacicavallo Silano is only made in the Calabria region of Italy and is made strictly with cow’s milk. Since 1993, Cacicavallo Silano has held DOP status in Italy and recently obtained the European Union’s DOP status. To produce one 2.2 lb balloon-shaped cheese, 22 lbs of cow’s milk is used. It is a pasta filata cheese, which means that the curd is kneaded and stretched when it is still warm. This produces a dense, elastic texture that allows the cheese to be made into spherical shapes.
Caciocavallo Silano is aged for 2 to 6 months before being released. The flavor of this cheese changes as it matures. As the Italians say, it is like a man, when young it is sweet, when mature it is spicy. When pairing wine with Caciocavallo Silano, it depends on whether the cheese is young or more mature. For the younger version, light white wines such as Chardonnay or Falanghina (a southern Italian white wine) or full-bodied red wines such as Aglianico del Vulture are recommended. When more mature, pair it with a bold red such as Chianti or Nebbiolo. Caciocavallo Silano can be used in a wide range of recipes, from grilling the cheese to top salads or potatoes, to using it in Risotto. It can be rustic or refined, depending on taste.
Casciotta d’Urbino (DOP)
Is a type of Caciotta cheese, made in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region, central Italy.
This cheese is generally made of between 70-80% sheep milk with 20-30% cows milk.
First made in ancient times, this cheese, it is said was a favourite of Michelangelo and Pope Clement XIV.
Local legend has it that the name came about from a mis-pronunciation of ‘Caciotta’ by a local civil servant, some say it is derived from the local dialect.
Castelmagno (DOP)
Region, town Piedmont: Source of milk Primarily Cows Pasteurised No Texture Semi-hard Aging time 60 days Certification EU: PDO 1996:
Castelmagno is a semi-hard, half-fat cheese produced from whole cows milk, obtained from cattle of the Piedmontese breed fed on fresh forage or hay from mixed meadows or pasture. On occasion some milk from sheep or goats may be added to the cows’ milk.
Fiore Sardo (DOP)
Region: Sardinia Size: Drum Weight: 6-7 lbs Milk: Sheep Classification: Hard Rennet: Animal Rind: Smoked
Sometimes referred to as Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo is produced on the island of Sardinia off the coast of Italy. This is a cheese with very ancient origins, thought by some to date back to the Bronze Age. Partly as a result of this, Fiore Sardo was awarded DOP (name protected) status in 1996.
Although there are now industrially produced variations of Fiore Sardo that are sometimes made from a blend of cow’s and sheep’s milk or even pasteurized milk, traditionally Fiore Sardo is made from fresh, unpasteurized sheep’s milk, sourced from native Sardinian sheep from a single flock. These versions are made in small mountain huts - known as “pinnette” - by the shepherds that look after these flocks. The natural smoke from the hut’s central, open fires give these cheeses their characteristically smoky overtones. For production, raw milk from one milking is poured into a cheese vat. (Originally, the shepherds would have used a wooden tub and the vat is the only concession to modern technology.) The milk is coagulated with animal rennet and the soft curd cut with a knife called a “chinova”. The curd is left to drain and then cut again with a special knife known as a “sa sega casu”.
The molds containing the cheeses are briefly immersed in hot water to help develop the thick outer rind. They are then unmolded and placed in a brine solution. After removal from the brine, the cheeses are placed on a trellis-type mat made of rushes which is suspended in the smoky area above the fireplace in the mountain hut. The second stage of maturation takes place when the wheels are transferred to a platform in the roof before finally being finished in an underground cellar for the last stages of maturation. In the cellar, the wheels are periodically turned (flipped) and greased with olive oil to prevent the rind cracking. Cheeses are matured for between two and eight months before release.
Fontina Val d’Asta (DOP)
roduced in the Aosta Valley near the Italian/Swiss border, traditional Fontina is made from raw cow’s milk and is aged over 90 days.
Fontina production dates back to the Middle Ages. According to tradition, the recipe is rumored to have been passed on to the early inhabitants of the Val d’Aosta by a near-mythical man called Sarvadzo, who taught the people how to make this unpasteurized, full-fat cheese, and mature it in caves for at least three months.
Today, milk for production comes from the Valdaostana cows that graze on the Alpine pastures (which are dotted with wildflowers and native herbs) at the foot of Mont Blanc. It takes about 1.25 gallons of milk to make 1lb. of Fontina, and there are about 400 producers in the Fontina consortium, including industrial, cooperative, artisanal and farmhouse cheesemakers.
After production, cheeses are brushed and salted on alternating days for the first three months to help in the rind development.
Formaggio di Fossa
Actually a maturing technique not a kind of cheese. Fossa cheese is made with either sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, or a mixture of the two.
The cheese typically matures around 30 days before being placed in the “fossa”, a pit dug into the ground and lined with straw. The pit is prepared by burning straw inside to remove moisture and sterilize the space. The cheese is wrapped in cloth bags and placed in the pit, which is then closed off entirely while the cheese matures for an additional 80 to 100 days. The sealing of the pit limits the oxygen available to the cheese, enabling a process of anaerobic fermentation. After being removed from the pit, the cheese is allowed to ripen for an additional three months.
The technique of making formaggio di fossa dates back to the 15th century.
Gorgonzola Dolce (DOP)
Meaning “sweet” in Italian, Gorgonzola “Dolce” was developed after World War II, largely in response to the demand for a milder cheese.
The production process is almost identical to Gorgonzola Naturale, and both styles must be made according to the DOP (name protection) regulations. Cow’s milk for production must come from one of the designated provinces in Piedmont or Lombardy, and the cheese must also be made within that area. About 60 dairies, ranging from small family operations to giant industrial concerns, produce Gorgonzola.
The main difference between Dolce and Naturale is their age. Gorgonzola Dolce matures for about two months, whereas Gorgonzola Naturale is aged for at least three months and often longer. For both styles, milk is inoculated with penicillin spores to induce blue veining, but the Dolce requires a less intense penicillin culture.
The curd for Gorgonzola Dolce is neither cooked nor pressed. This results in a higher moisture cheese with a lighter, more open texture that allows for ample development of the blue mold. The development of the blue veins receives a boost when the wheels are three to four weeks old, at which time they are pierced with steel needles to introduce air. The interaction of oxygen with the enzymes, and mold with oxygen, allows the blueing to develop much more rapidly.
Weighing in at about 25lbs., wheels of Gorgonzola Dolce are usually cut into quarters before shipment, with each piece wrapped in foil to protect the rind and prevent further moisture loss.
Grana Padano (DOP)
Grana Padano is one of the world’s first hard cheeses, created nearly 900 years ago by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle Abbey, founded in 1135 near Milan, who used ripened cheese as a way of preserving surplus milk. By the year 1477, it was regarded as one of the most famous cheeses of Italy. It can last a long time without spoiling, sometimes aging up to two years. It is made in a similar way to the Parmigiano Reggiano of Emilia-Romagna but over a much wider area and with different regulations and controls. Other grana cheeses are also made in Lombardy, Piedmont, Trentino, and Veneto
Like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano is a semifat hard cheese which is cooked and ripened slowly (for at least 9 months, then, if it passes the quality tests, it will be fire-branded with the Grana Padano trademark). The cows are milked twice a day, the milk is left to stand, and then partially skimmed. Milk produced in the evening is skimmed to remove the surface layer of cream and mixed with fresh milk produced in the morning. The partly skimmed milk is transferred into copper kettles and coagulated; the resulting curd is cut to produce granules with the size of rice grains, which gives the cheese its characteristic texture, and then cooked to 53–56 °C (127–133 °F). It is produced year-round and the quality can vary seasonally as well as by year. Though similar to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the younger Grana Padano cheeses are less crumbly, milder and less complex in flavor than their more famous, longer-aged relative.
Montasio (DOP)
Made from semi-skimmed, raw cow’s milk, Montasio is produced in the area of Alpe Guile (Guilian Alps) in the province of Fuili in north-eastern corner of Italy.
The origins of this cheese begin in the thirteenth century at an abbey called Moggio. However, due to the popularity of the cheese in the nineteenth century, production spread to the surrounding areas and Montasio is now made in a number of dairies and factories in the region.
Montasio was granted full DOC (desingated name) protection in 1986.
Montasio is a pressed, cooked cheese, meaning that the curd is “cooked” at a high temperature during production. This results in a greater expulsion of moisture from the curd and makes the cheese suitable for longer aging. Cheeses are generally released at one of three different stages, the earliest being at two months. Partially aged cheeses are sold at four months and Aged cheeses at one year, when they resemble a Piave or Asiago.
Monte Veronese d’allevo (DOC)
The hard paste Monte Veronese is made from unpasteurised semi-skimmed milk. Aging lasts from more than 60 days for wheels to be consumed as table cheese to six months for grating cheese. The paste is white or slightly yellowish in color but with larger eyes than the whole milk variety. Ripening makes the cheese fragrant and slightly piquant.[1]
Parmigiano-Reggiano (DOP)
Parmigiano-Reggiano is made from raw cow’s milk. The whole milk of the morning milking is mixed with the naturally skimmed milk (which is made by holding milk in large shallow tanks to allow the cream to separate) of the previous evening’s milking, resulting in a part skim mixture. This mixture is pumped into copper-lined vats (copper heats and cools quickly). Starter whey (containing a mixture of certain thermophilic lactic acid bacteria) is added, and the temperature is raised to 33–35 °C (91–95 °F). Calf rennet is added, and the mixture is left to curdle for 10–12 minutes. The curd is then broken up mechanically into small pieces (around the size of rice grains). The temperature is then raised to 55 °C (131 °F) with careful control by the cheese-maker. The curd is left to settle for 45–60 minutes. The compacted curd is collected in a piece of muslin before being divided in two and placed in molds. There is 1100 L (291 US gallons or 250 imperial gallons) of milk per vat, producing two cheeses each. The curd making up each wheel at this point weighs around 45 kg (100 lb). The remaining whey in the vat was traditionally used to feed the pigs from which “Prosciutto di Parma” (cured Parma ham) was produced. The barns for these animals were usually just a few yards away from the cheese production rooms.
The cheese is put into a stainless steel, round form that is pulled tight with a spring-powered buckle so the cheese retains its wheel shape. After a day or two, the buckle is released and a plastic belt imprinted numerous times with the Parmigiano-Reggiano name, the plant’s number, and month and year of production is put around the cheese and the metal form is buckled tight again. The imprints take hold on the rind of the cheese in about a day and the wheel is then put into a brine bath to absorb salt for 20–25 days. After brining, the wheels are then transferred to the aging rooms in the plant for 12 months. Each cheese is placed on wooden shelves that can be 24 cheeses high by 90 cheeses long or about 4,000 total wheels per aisle. Each cheese and the shelf underneath it is then cleaned manually or robotically every seven days. The cheese is also turned at this time.
This Parmigiano-Reggiano factory has two storerooms, both with 20 of these shelves.
Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano
At 12 months, the Consorzio Parmigiano-Reggiano inspects every cheese. The cheese is tested by a master grader whose only instruments are a hammer and his ear. By tapping the wheel at various points, he can identify undesirable cracks and voids within the wheel. Those cheeses that pass the test are then heat branded on the rind with the Consorzio’s logo. Those that do not pass the test used to have their rinds marked with lines or crosses all the way around to inform consumers that they are not getting top-quality Parmigiano-Reggiano; more recent practices simply have these lesser rinds stripped of all markings.
Piave (DOP)
Named after the river Piave, whose headwaters lie in the Dolomites near Veneto, Piave bears some similarities to a lighter, younger version of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Milk is sourced from cows grazing the land adjacent to the river, and this is also the area where the cheesemaking and maturation of Piave take place.
Piave is a hard, cooked, pressed cheese made from the pasteurized milk of two milkings - morning and evening - of which one is usually skimmed. Piave is typically sold at three different ages; fresh (fresco) at between one and two months, medium (mezzano) at three to four months, and aged (stagionato) at between 6-12 months.
