Everyone is familiar with these popular Italian cheeses: Parmesan, Mozzarella, Provolone, Ricotta and Asiago. You can find these in any grocery store, and they are popular in many recipes. But these are only a few of the delicious cheeses Italy has to offer! It's time to get to know some of the lesser known varieties and expand your knowledge and palette.
Ubriaco. In Italian, Ubriaco means drunken! It's aptly named, because it matures in wine. First the cheese is encased in the grape rinds left over from the pressing. Then it is soaked in wine for up to six months before it's ready for sale. It's a hard, mild cheese of cow's milk and it takes on the flavor of the type of wine in which it is soaked. The result is a fine cheese with a fruity taste and dark purple rind.
Castelmagno. This one is primarily made of cow's milk, but has either sheep or goat milk mixed in. It is made by leaving the milk out overnight. Then they add the fresh milk from the morning to the batch. After processing, it is aged in a damp cellar. This process creates fine blue veins that add a spicy taste. It is pungent, to a greater or lesser degree depending on where it was aged.
Ragusano. This is a Sicilian cheese. It is made in Ragusa, Sicily (an island off the main coast of Italy). It is made from the milk of a special breed of cow called a Modicana. Because of this, they make it in small batches only. While it's aging, it is repeatedly rubbed down with oil and vinegar. The result is a savory, slightly tangy flavor.
Montasio. Montasio was originally made by the Maggio monastery back in the thirteenth century. At that time it was made of sheep's milk, but now it is made with cow's milk. It is made exclusively in northeastern Italy. It's a hard cheese, and becomes harder as it ages. It has a fruity taste, sometimes with a hint of pineapple flavor.
Pannerone. Very soft and exceptionally creamy, it's made from cow's milk. It goes through a rigorous process of curdling, draining, and storing at warm temperatures for a week. In about two weeks it is ready for sale. This makes it difficult to find outside of Europe. It has a taste and look similar to that of Gorgonzola, but without veining. It is smooth and has a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Fiore Sardo. This cheese is made only in Sardinia. This is a region of Italy that is hot and dry, which are very different conditions from the typical northern Italian cheeses. They use unpasteurized sheep's milk. Depending on how long it matures, it is semi-hard to hard in texture. They cure it in smoke. It is also rubbed down in sheep's fat or sometimes olive oil. It can have a nice sweet taste that combines nicely with the smoky flavor.
As you can see, these Italian cheeses are very special and will be hard to find. If there is an Italian market near you, you can check there. If not, try your local special foods market to see if they can get it for you. The expense will be eased by the fact that you are getting to sample some of the finest authentic cheeses in the world.
Ubriaco. In Italian, Ubriaco means drunken! It's aptly named, because it matures in wine. First the cheese is encased in the grape rinds left over from the pressing. Then it is soaked in wine for up to six months before it's ready for sale. It's a hard, mild cheese of cow's milk and it takes on the flavor of the type of wine in which it is soaked. The result is a fine cheese with a fruity taste and dark purple rind.
Castelmagno. This one is primarily made of cow's milk, but has either sheep or goat milk mixed in. It is made by leaving the milk out overnight. Then they add the fresh milk from the morning to the batch. After processing, it is aged in a damp cellar. This process creates fine blue veins that add a spicy taste. It is pungent, to a greater or lesser degree depending on where it was aged.
Ragusano. This is a Sicilian cheese. It is made in Ragusa, Sicily (an island off the main coast of Italy). It is made from the milk of a special breed of cow called a Modicana. Because of this, they make it in small batches only. While it's aging, it is repeatedly rubbed down with oil and vinegar. The result is a savory, slightly tangy flavor.
Montasio. Montasio was originally made by the Maggio monastery back in the thirteenth century. At that time it was made of sheep's milk, but now it is made with cow's milk. It is made exclusively in northeastern Italy. It's a hard cheese, and becomes harder as it ages. It has a fruity taste, sometimes with a hint of pineapple flavor.
Pannerone. Very soft and exceptionally creamy, it's made from cow's milk. It goes through a rigorous process of curdling, draining, and storing at warm temperatures for a week. In about two weeks it is ready for sale. This makes it difficult to find outside of Europe. It has a taste and look similar to that of Gorgonzola, but without veining. It is smooth and has a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Fiore Sardo. This cheese is made only in Sardinia. This is a region of Italy that is hot and dry, which are very different conditions from the typical northern Italian cheeses. They use unpasteurized sheep's milk. Depending on how long it matures, it is semi-hard to hard in texture. They cure it in smoke. It is also rubbed down in sheep's fat or sometimes olive oil. It can have a nice sweet taste that combines nicely with the smoky flavor.
As you can see, these Italian cheeses are very special and will be hard to find. If there is an Italian market near you, you can check there. If not, try your local special foods market to see if they can get it for you. The expense will be eased by the fact that you are getting to sample some of the finest authentic cheeses in the world.
About the Author:
Learn more about Italian cheeses. Stop by Franklin Baggoio's site where you can find out all about gourmet imports and what it can do for you.
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