Cheeses

One upon a time, Italian families existed in a world full of passion for cheese-making. They took to the hills with horses and mules- up into the Alpine valleys where the major part of the population dedicated themselves to milk and cheese production.
Refrigeration is a fairly new commodity. Before this, grottos or caves were used due to their cool and stable temperatures that are sustained all year around; the perfect atmosphere for owners in aging their cheeses.
The same instruments are used today in cheese producing; wood shelves, water, salt, oil to clean the crusts, little hammers and cutting boards. Making cheese is not a difficult technique; you don't have to be an alchemist to fulfill this cheese-making dream; experimenting would do just fine. The three elements one needs are; milk, rennet, and salt. Nothing else is needed to obtain cheese!

Fontina

It is a cow's milk Italian cheese. Fontina cheese has been made in the Aosta Valley, in the Alps since the 12th century. It has a milk fat content of around 45%. As with many original varieties, the name "Fontina" has been imposed upon by such derivatives as "Fontinella", "Fontal", and "Fontella". Italian Fontina can be identified by a Consorzio (Consortium) stamp of the Matterhorn including the script "FONTINA". Young Fontina has a soft texture, it has a mild, somewhat nutty flavor, while rich, herbaceous and fruity. It melts well.

Mozzarella

Fior di Latte is a fresh cheese made using spinning and then cutting (hence the name; the Italian verb mozzare actually means "to cut"). Fior di latte (written also as fiordilatte) is used to distinguish the mozzarella made from cow's milk from that made from buffalo's milk. Mozzarella fior di latte is a mild, milky, creamy cheese.

 

Parmigiano Reggiano

It is the most typical cheese of Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena. It is a cooked and non pressed, semi-fat, hard cheese made from raw cow's milk. The cheese is encased within a yellowish-golden and slightly oily rind on which the brand name Parmigiano Reggiano is stenciled in small dots. This very flaky and highly soluble cheese is very finely grained and ranges in color from ivory white to straw-yellow. A chief feature of Parmigiano Reggiano is the presence of small white crystals which are indicative of the lengthy ripening period (on average 24 months). The taste is delicate, fragrant and very savory with a lactic and vegetal aroma.

Pecorino

It is made by collecting the milk from the sheep, heating it to a temperature of between 35 and 38 C (70-76 F) and curdling it with rennet for about 20 minutes; the curds are then turned out into a trough, scooped into molds, and pressed to drive out the serum, which in turn becomes ricotta. The pressed, very fresh, soft cheeses are in some cases steamed (this helps drive out the serum), and in others not, but they are always salted or soaked in brine, with the forms getting 4-6 hours salting per pound. After they have been salted, they're aged in a cool dark place, for a minimum of 20 days. Fresh pecorino Toscano is quite mild, and rather creamy, though it does have some nutty oak leaf overtones that keep it from being insipid.

Stracchino

It is a type of Italian cow's-milk cheese, typical of Lombardia. The name of the cheese derives from the Italian word "stracca," meaning "tired". It is said that the milk from tired cows is richer in fats and more acidic. These qualities were discovered, according to legend, in the milk of cows that were moved seasonally, up and down the Alps to different pastures. The milk of such cows gives the cheese its characteristic flavors. Stracchino is eaten very young. Stracchino has a soft, creamy texture and normally a mild and delicate flavor. The fresh acidity flavor of Stracchino is an excellent complement to Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto Cotto, and Grilled Vegetables.