Italian cheeses are some of the best in the world. And while we're all familiar with the top few selections, from our pizza and sandwich consumption, it may surprise you to know there are around 400 different Italian cheeses to choose from. And when it comes to quality and good tasting cheese, the Italians have a great passion for delivering on it, and they do.
From Tuscany to Sicily, the Italians roll out the parmigiano, the provolone, and the Mozzarella. And these are just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall outlay of Italian cheeses. They make their cheeses with goat, sheep, cow, or buffalo milk. Their cheeses are great for shredding and have a fragrance and texture all their own.
The Italians really take pride in the quality of their cheeses. One way to tell if it's quality, if you happen to be shopping for cheese, is to check for it's classification. This can be PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or IGT (Protected Geographic Indication). This is their stamp of quality assurance, and it's the same one used for wine.
When learning about tasty Italian cheeses, you're sure to come across the famous 'Bel Paese' cheese. In Italian, this means 'Beautiful Country'. This cheese has become one of the favorites of all time and one of the best known by people all around the world. It was first made near Milan in a place named 'Melzo'. But it's mostly made in Lombardy, with pasteurized cow's milk. It's meant to be used as a table cheese, but works very well in cooking.
Yes, the Italians and their passion for cheese making is known worldwide. They would hike up into the Alpine mountains, where they'd refine their cheese production methods. Then when they came down, the world welcomed them with open arms. Up there in the old days, back on the mountains, they'd use caves for keeping their cheese cool. The concept of refrigeration was still fairly new.
Some of their other techniques are still used today. The tools have remained the same as it has always been. Salt, water, oil, tiny hammers, cutting boards, and wooden shelves are still used in their production methods. Their three basic ingredients for beginning and making a cheese, are salt, rennet, and some kind of milk. They would exchange the types of milk to produce a different cheese.
Anytime you think about making cheese, it all begins with the milk. Cheese is simply the coagulation of milk. Ricotta is derived from cream and milk whey. But the four main sources of milk in Italy are the buffalo, the cow, the goat, and the sheep. But were you to want something even different from that, cheeses can be made from the milk of camels, reindeer, and even yaks.
Learning about tasty Italian cheeses can be a really fun study. Many people go through life enjoying the benefits of this great Italian craft, without ever knowing about the how's, where's, or why's. You can go online and learn much about the processes, like how long to heat at what temperature, etc. It really can be an eye opener if you've never read about it before. The Italians have their recipes down pat. And one thing you can't argue with, is that the quality is definitely up to par. - 30213
From Tuscany to Sicily, the Italians roll out the parmigiano, the provolone, and the Mozzarella. And these are just a drop in the bucket compared to the overall outlay of Italian cheeses. They make their cheeses with goat, sheep, cow, or buffalo milk. Their cheeses are great for shredding and have a fragrance and texture all their own.
The Italians really take pride in the quality of their cheeses. One way to tell if it's quality, if you happen to be shopping for cheese, is to check for it's classification. This can be PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or IGT (Protected Geographic Indication). This is their stamp of quality assurance, and it's the same one used for wine.
When learning about tasty Italian cheeses, you're sure to come across the famous 'Bel Paese' cheese. In Italian, this means 'Beautiful Country'. This cheese has become one of the favorites of all time and one of the best known by people all around the world. It was first made near Milan in a place named 'Melzo'. But it's mostly made in Lombardy, with pasteurized cow's milk. It's meant to be used as a table cheese, but works very well in cooking.
Yes, the Italians and their passion for cheese making is known worldwide. They would hike up into the Alpine mountains, where they'd refine their cheese production methods. Then when they came down, the world welcomed them with open arms. Up there in the old days, back on the mountains, they'd use caves for keeping their cheese cool. The concept of refrigeration was still fairly new.
Some of their other techniques are still used today. The tools have remained the same as it has always been. Salt, water, oil, tiny hammers, cutting boards, and wooden shelves are still used in their production methods. Their three basic ingredients for beginning and making a cheese, are salt, rennet, and some kind of milk. They would exchange the types of milk to produce a different cheese.
Anytime you think about making cheese, it all begins with the milk. Cheese is simply the coagulation of milk. Ricotta is derived from cream and milk whey. But the four main sources of milk in Italy are the buffalo, the cow, the goat, and the sheep. But were you to want something even different from that, cheeses can be made from the milk of camels, reindeer, and even yaks.
Learning about tasty Italian cheeses can be a really fun study. Many people go through life enjoying the benefits of this great Italian craft, without ever knowing about the how's, where's, or why's. You can go online and learn much about the processes, like how long to heat at what temperature, etc. It really can be an eye opener if you've never read about it before. The Italians have their recipes down pat. And one thing you can't argue with, is that the quality is definitely up to par. - 30213
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Want to find out more about italian food, then visit Luigi DeMarco's site on how to choose the best Italian cheeses for your needs.
