a colpo
d'occhio: Produzione formaggi Italia 1981 / 1999-2000
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Italy is very rich in cheeses. A catalog published in 1977 lists at
least 451 cheeses. Therefore, to get into a detailed list of all the
cheeses made in Italy would be extremely difficult. Throughout the
peninsula, wherever there is a herd there is a copper pot to make the
whey and a cellar where cheese, such as caciotta,
robiola or caciocavallo, rest on wooden boards. This text will limit itself to a
selection of cheeses which are the most important in terms of notoriety. |
| Skimming According to how much fat content is removed from the milk, we will have: WHOLE MILK FAT CHEESES: 42% fat content SEMIFAT: less than 42% fat SKIMMED: less than 20% fat |
| Curding During the preparation of cheese, the curd can be brought to various temperatures; accordingly the results can vary. RAW CHEESE: If temperature does not exceed 100 F. SEMI-COOKED: If temperature is between 100 F.-120 F. WHOLLY-COOKED: If temperature exceeds 120 F. |
| Aging Aging is determined by the time the cheese is allowed to rest from the time it is done. Therefore we have: FRESH: Cheese consumed immediately. AGED: Those cheeses that must rest in proper storages for long periods, before they are ready for consumption. |
| Types According to how a cheese is made, it can be categorized as follows: FRESH: i.e., mozzarella, mascarpone SOFT: i.e., gorgonzola, stracchino, taleggio HARD: i.e., parmigiano, pecorino |
| How
to Keep Cheese It is best to keep cheese in a dark, humid, ventilated room, at a constant temperature of 45-50 F. If it has to be refrigerated, it is advisable to store in the vegetable section in perforated paper or cheese cloth to allow air to go through. |
| How
to Serve The basic rule is to serve cheese at room temperature at all times. Cheese can be served with fruit, or vegetables. For instance, pecorino romano is traditionally served with fava beans, and goat cheeses with radishes. Bread, of course, is a most important element in serving cheese large crusty country loaves, olive bread, walnut bread and bread with sesame seeds are all appropriate. Many cheeses are suitable to serve cooked, especially the soft, fresh types such as: mozzarella, ricotta, fontina. |