Tag: Italian cheese

  • Gorgonzola 101

    Gorgonzola 101

    Gorgonzola has always been one of my sweethearts. On a recent Cheese Journeys to Italy I visited Caseificio Arioli, a 6th generation gorgonzola maker. But let’s start from the beginning…

    With roots in the Middle Ages

    Gorgonzola was for the first time mentioned (in writing) in 879. Some believe that the cheese was made in the town of Gorgonzola, close to Milan. Others believe the cheese was made a little further north in the mountainous area of ​​Valsassina. This was the center of milk production at the time, and the mountains were home to lots of natural caves, perfect for cheese storage.

    In the fall, cows came down from the mountains to spend the winter in the valley. Their milk at this time was used to make a cheese called ‘stracchino di Gorgonzola’. The word ‘stracchino’ comes from ‘stracco’ or ‘stanco’, meaning tired in Italian. The tired cows gave a particularly tasty milk, and close to the town of Gorgonzola, large quantities of milk were converted into gorgonzola cheese. At that time, the blue mold would naturally have found its way into the cheese.

    The legend of the little mistake

    Well, this is not the first time we hear about a mistake which leads to a successful innovation. And so is the story of gorgonzola’s creation. A cheese maker in training and very much in love left his place prematurely to be with his chosen one. To his great horror, he discovered the day after that his half-finished cheese had turned bluish. He tried to hide it by pouring freshly made curd on top. But alas! The final cheese also turned bluish. But when the cheese master tasted the wrong-colored cheese, he became happy and blessed because its taste was divine.

    Two types: Piccante and dolce

    There are two types of gorgonzola: Piccante and dolce. And they are easy to tell apart.

    The cheese on the left is a gorgonzola piccante. Its texture is firm, the blue mold stands out clearly, and the taste is piquant and can be quite powerful.

    Gorgonzola dolce on the right is far more creamy (sometimes it can be eaten with a spoon), has a paler blue marbling, and the taste is milder and a little sweeter.

    Both cheeses have a slight taste of yeast, which, however, usually disappears with a longer aging

    What’s the difference?

    The difference between the two types of cheese lies in the production itself, including:

    • the blue mold culture (both are penincillium roqueforti – but two different sub-varieties)
    • the rennet can also be different (affects the fermentation differently)
    • the temperature during ripening is different, dolce matures at a higher temperature than piccante
    • the length of maturation is different: Dolce is matured for a minimum of 50 days (and max 170 days), while piccante is at least 80 days matured (if the cheese weighs over 9 kg) and max 270 days

    DOP

    Gorgonzola obtained protection as early as 1951 (by the Stresa Convention). The sign of Protected Designation of Origin means for example, that the cheese can only be produced in Lombardy and Piedmont. The milk has to be pasteurized whole milk and the rennet is always animal rennet (extracted from veal stomachs).

    There are today approximately 30 gorgonzola dairies, and they are represented in a consortium that continuously controls the quality and DOP labeling.

    Gorgonzola in the kitchen

    On a visit to northern Italy a long time ago, I visited a restaurant where the chef had specialized in cooking with gorgonzola. Gorgonzola is often perceived in Italy as a cooking cheese.

    He explained that he most often went for a subtle underlying taste of blue mold, and therefore almost always used the mild gorgonzola dolce. In situations where he wanted to spice up the taste a bit, he added some gorgonzola piccante. This is really a great way to look at the role of cheese in cooking – and it has since inspired me to think of cheese as a spice. How strong a cheese flavor are you aiming for? It then tells you which cheese and in what quantity to use.

    Gorgonzola as tapas

    A peak into the gorgonzola dairy

    If you’re curious about how gorgonzola is made, stay tuned for a later blog post from my visit to Arioli, who has produced traditional gorgonzola since 1811.

    Gorgonzola

  • Pecorino sardo – a member of the pecorino family

    Pecorino sardo – a member of the pecorino family

    After I made the cacio e pepe pasta dish with pecorino sardo I will share with you some background information about this cheese.

    The name pecorino comes from the Italian word ‘pecora’ which means sheep. Thus, pecorino is a group name for (hard) sheep milk cheeses from Italy.

    But pecorino isn’t just pecorino. As in every other family, the members come from different areas and have very different characters. Today, eight pecorino cheeses carry the DOP designation.

    But for now, let’s focus on pecorino sardo DOP.

    Pecorino Sardo DOP

    Pecorino sardo from Sardinia

    Pecorino sardo is one of the most known pecorino cheeses and comes from Sardinia. As with other origin protected cheeses it is all about a cultural and geographic heritage which is now described in details in the DOP designation.

    On Sardinia they have a long shepherd tradition. Three million sheep are walking around on the island, grazing wild plants which influences the quality and taste of the milk. The milk used for pecorino sardo must be full fat sheep milk from a sheep which has grazed on Sardinia. The milk may be pasteurized or thermized.

    Two maturations

    Pecorino sardo comes with two maturations:

    Dolce is the mild type, matured for 20-60 days. The cheese has a green label and is about two kg / 4.4 lb. The cheese curd is cut to the size of nuts.

    Maturo on the other hand matures at least two months but most often between four to six months. It wears a blue label, weights around 3 kg / 6.6 lb and the cheese curd is cut to the size of rice grains. (By having smaller cheese curds you have a larger total surface which the whey can leave more easily. Thereby, the texture gets more solid – and more suited for a longer maturation).

    Pecorino Sardo DOP

    Sheep milk contains more lactose compared to cow milk and this gives a slightly more sweet taste. The two types of pecorino sardo are quite different. The dolce is delicate, flexible/soft and has a bit of acidity whereas the maturo on the other hand is more crumbly and has a pleasant sharpness.

    On Sardinia, the locals use the mild cheese for cooking and the matured for tapas. They suggest you serve the cheeses with white wine (for instance an oak matured chardonnay) or a red wine with acidity (such as a beaujolais).

    Experience pecorino sardo on Sardinia

    There are around 20 producers on Sardinia. They are happy to welcome visitors who have the interest and desire to know more about pecorino. On the website of the consortium you can see how to get there (and do take a look at the other attractions now you are there). So far, the website is in Italian – but with a bit of will power and Google Translate – you can make it! 🙂