You Should Buy Italian Cheeses To Expand Your Savory Adventure

2010 February 8
by Luigi DeMarco

For those who have a taste for quality cheese, if you buy Italian cheese on offer you will discover a world of flavor. Italy has over four hundred cheeses with different regional cheeses having a distinctive flair. Artisanally made cheeses add to the distinction. You can now find an increasing array of Italian cheeses on line and in specialty retail stores.

Cheese making has a regional flavor

Piedmont is known to have the most extensive selection of cheeses. The uncommon cheeses of the region include the Castelmagno which is a blue cheese; the Bra which has both mild and strong versions; the Tomme cheese made from a mixture of cow and sheep and goat milk; the intense Raschera; the Robiole des langhe which also has a dark truffle variety; and Tomini fresh or cooked. More available cheeses include one of the oldest Italian cheeses the Fontina and the Fontal the soft cheeses that melt well and the Seiras ricotta.

The northern region of Trentino Alto-Adige has cheeses demonstrating an Austrian influence. The slightly sharp and peppery Vezzena which has a hard granular texture, the mild and delicate Dobbiaco, the fragrant and delicate Grana Padano from Val di Non, the Puzzone di Moena with its intense aromatic perfume are amongst those hailing from this region. From the northeast Val Brembana in Lombardy near the Swiss border is the warm buttery tasting Mandriano di Zambla that is available in the United States and approximates to a cheese not available yet, the Formai de Mut produced in limited amounts that has a delicate aromatic herbal flavor reflecting the cows diet on the alpine pastures.

The southern regions favor sheep and buffalo milk cheeses such as Mozzarella, the stringy Caciocavallo Silano, ricottas of varying age. In Basilicata and Calabria the goat and sheep milk produce pecorino which is the term for cheeses made from the milk of sheep generally, and other cheeses like the rare and costly Caciocavallo Podolico made from cows milk that comes from cows only from this region.

You can match wines with cheese to enhance the flavor

Friuli has handmade by farmers local unpasteurized specialty cow milk the latteria cheeses made in copper lined vats twice a day daily, the Carnica smoked ricotta and the Montasio that tastes like an Asiago or Swiss cheese when sold young with age lending flavor.

He also advises trying more whites with strong cheeses and going from light to strong tastes. He notes the Parmigiano Reggiano and a vintage spumante match well. Thus, a Mandriano di Zambla and a white like a pino grigio or pino bianco will be savored. When you buy italian cheeses you might enjoy taking his advice and pair light delicate cheeses with matching wines for a start with bolder tasting cheeses and more robust wines to follow.

Looking to find the best deal on buy Italian cheese, then visit www.italianfoodimports.com to find the best advice on cheese for you.

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