Italian Cheeses Best Pick

The other day I was walking in a mall I visit since my childhood and saw a store in which they solely sell stuffed toy bears, custom made. I wondered how much money they make the kid's parents spend in that curious little stuffed animal. But, I also remembered something from my childhood...that was the same place a gourmet cheese store was long time ago. It was almost 30 years ago! I almost remembered the smell of the place, with dim lights, open air fridges with hundreds of cheeses from every part of the world and I clearly remembered how much fun I had with my uncle and aunt while visiting that place. That's what inspired me to make this article...cheese! Following my series of articles from Italy, I will do a straight talk about Italian cheese this time.

I was reading about italian cheeses in the book The Italian Kitchen Bible (Kate Whiteman, Jeni Wright, Angela Boggiano. Hermes House, London) and there was textbook information about italian cheeses. I bought this book like four years ago and loved the cheese info it had. I wanna tell you about what I read, in a a nutshell.
For starters, Let's say Italian cheeses are more diverse than french ones, having hard, soft, fresh cheeses, with mild to mature flavors. Also, they don't use only one type of milk; can you imagine cheese made from sheep's, goat's and buffalo's milk? Well, get real, they do! And not only that, they also make cheese from a mixture of milks. Although Italian cheeses are more diverse than french, if you go to a restaurant, you will find a larger selection of french ones than Italian. This is because Italians usually don't have a cheeseboard in their menu and only serve just a few types of cheese. Going back a little while, the ancient Greeks were the ones who introduced cheese to Italy. The Etruscans learned their cheese making skills, refined the craft and developed long-matured cheeses for the first time, which could last for many months and travel well. We are talking about 2,500 years ago, folks!
Italian cheeses fall into four categories. There are soft, semi-soft, hard and fresh cheeses. Almost all of them can be used for cooking or eaten on their own. There are different names for them, depending on the age, or maturity. A cheese that has been matured for a year is known as a Vecchio, while after 18 months it becomes Stravecchio. These ones have a very powerful flavor. I will now categorize them, giving you a general perspective of Italian cheeses, so next time you see them, you will definitely enjoy them more!



Soft and Semi-Soft Cheeses

Taleggio- A squared, creamy cheese from Lombardy. It has a six week maturity. Salty-sweet flavor. They are dipped in brine for about 14 hours before maturing. Can be eaten perfectly on its own as a cheese course and can be used for cooking.

Stracchino- Made from very creamy milk. Matured for only ten days to a maximum of two months. Sweet flavor.

Gorgonzola- Greenish-blue veining. Very creamy. Its flavor ranges from dolce (very mild) to piccante (extremely powerful). It has Penicillium glaucum mold growing inside its air pockets. Three to five months maturation. There are 2 more versions of Gorgonzola cheese: Dolcelatte (creamy, delicately flavored) and Torta (striped cheese with layers of Gorgonzola and Mascarpone).
Fresh Cheeses

Caprini- Disc-shaped goat cheese from southern Italy. Pungent flavor. Do not travel well. If found outside Italy, they are available bottled in olive oil flavored with herbs and chilies. Cheese can be fried or crumbled as a topping for pizza. Bottled version should be eaten as a cheese course.

Mascarpone- Triple cream cheese from Lombardy. Delicately flavored. Too rich to be eaten on its own. Takes only 24 hours to produce. It makes great creamy sauces for pasta. Enhances flavor of Risottos.

Mozzarella- One of the most popular. Mild cheese. Stringy. Used for pizza topping.

Ricotta- Means literally "recooked". Solid and granular consistency. Used for savory and sweet dishes.
Hard & Semi-Hard Cheeses

Asiago- Made in the Veneto region. Develops different characteristics as it ages. Starts with a mild flavor. Salty, piquant flavor after 6 months.

Straveccio (aged 18 months) becomes grainy and sharp tasting.

Parmesan- The best known and most important of the Italian hard cheeses. It has two basic types: Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano (Parmigiano Reggiano is far superior). Made in a strictly defined zone between Parma, Reggio-Emilia, Bologna, Mantua and Modena. Aged for a minimum of two years. More expensive Parmesans may be aged for up to seven years. Nutty, mildly salty flavor. Can be eaten on its own or for cooking (grated over a number of hot dishes).

Pecorino- All are made from sheep's milk. There are varieties, like Romano, Sardo,(aged for a few weeks) and Pecorino pepato( aged to 18 months). Romano and Sardo are salty-tasting, while Pecorino pepato have a piquant flavor. It has whole peppercorns inside it.

Provolone- Can often be found hanging from the ceiling of Italian delicatessens. Straw-white colored, can be made from different types of milk and rennet. Buffalo milk is often used in the in the south of Italy. Sharp flavor. Stringy texture.

Fontina- Genuine Fontina cheese comes from the Val d' Aosta region in the Italian Alps. Made from the milk of Valdostana cows. Matured for only four months. Mild, almost sweet, nutty flavor and a creamy texture, with tiny holes.

Bel Paese- Poetically named "beautiful country". Created not so long ago, its made from cow's milk, with a buttermilk color. Mild flavor. Can be eaten on its own, but it's excellent for cooking.

Well, I think that overview can be useful for anyone of you at the time a good Italian cheese cross in front of you...let's say, an elegant party you are invited to, a great wedding or on a gourmet cheese store.

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Keep the good taste,
Adal@CoconutBistro

(Photo courtesy of Payton Chung @ flickr.com/creativecommons)