You probably know about some of the more popular, readily available out there. Varieties like Mozzarella, Parmesan and Provolone are common household names, and most grocery stores also carry Ricotta and Asiago cheese. But these are just a very few of the many amazing Italian cheeses out there! Here are some of those lesser known varieties and a little about how they’re made.
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 cheese is made of a mixture of cow’s milk and either goat or sheep milk, that has been left sitting overnight. Then, in the morning, fresh milk is added. When cured, it has fine blue veins, which are a result of it being aged in a damp cellar. The flavor is a bit spicy, and it usually has a pungent smell.
Ragusano. Ragusano is a cheese that comes from Sicily, an island of the coast of Italy. It is from the town of Ragusa, hence the name. They make from the unpasteurized milk of a special breed of cow called the Modicana, and only in small batches. It’s a hard cheese, and because it is rubbed down with oil and vinegar it has a savory, mildly tangy taste.
Montasio. In the thirteenth century the Maggio monastery make this cheese out of sheep’s milk. Today it is made throughout northeastern Italy and is instead made of cow’s milk. It continues to harden as it ages and has a fruity taste. Some say they taste a hint of pineapple!
Pannerone. This is a melt-in-your-mouth soft and creamy cheese made from cow’s milk. It is curdled, drained and then stored at high temperatures for a week. During its second week, it is stored at cooler temperatures, and then is ready to be sold. Because of its short aging time, it can be hard to ship. Therefore it is more difficult to find the farther you get from Italian borders. A lot of people think it’s Gorgonzola when they first encounter it, but Pannerone does not have any veins. It has a smooth, slightly bitter taste.
Fiore Sardo. Fiore Sardo is made exclusively of unpasteurized sheep’s milk. It is made only in the region of Sardinia, which is hot and dry. These conditions make the cheese very different from northern Italy cheeses. It is hard to semi-hard depending on how long it matures. It is smoke-cured, and throughout the process the cheese makers continue to rub the rind with fat or olive oil. It is a smoked cheese with a very rich, sometimes sweet flavor.
As you can see from their rarity and quality, you are very unlikely to find any of these Italian cheeses in your local market. So where do you go? Many large cities have Italian specialty markets, so check your local business directory. If your area is too small for a specialized Italian market, try another special foods shop and see if they can order some for you. It may cost you a bit, but it’s a small price to pay for getting to sample some of the best cheeses in the world.
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