|
I work in an Italian grocery that imports a lot of unusual cheeses. Here are a few to look out for: Beppino Occelli are a company in Piemonte with some unusual but very popular cheeses: Alla Frutta e Grappa di Moscato - 1 year aged sheep & cow's milk with a layer of dried fruit and grappa (an Italian variation of brandy). One of the most popular ones we carry; you can really smell/taste the effect the grappa has on this cheese. Al Malto d'Orzo e Whisky A goat/cow one with barley malt and whisky that's my favourite of theirs. Occelli in Foglie Tabacco This one's wrapped in tobacco leaf. (No, it does not taste like cigarettes.) Toniolo are in Veneto: Pratomagno is one of my personal favourites. 1 year aged cow's milk, a bit harder than Parmigiano, but with a wonderful bubbly/crystallized texture. Bastardo del Grappa is a raw cow's milk cheese, softer with small holes throughout. Sior Moro da Selva is an old-fashioned cheese related to Asiago. Cuor di Fieno is aged in fragrant hay; it actually comes still wrapped in the hay when it gets here. Il Forteto are from Toscana, and make fantastic pecorino (sheep's milk cheeses). No English website, though. Re Nero is a firm white cheese aged for 3 months in an olive oil & vegetable ash rind, giving it the namesake black outside. Caciotta degli Angeli (angel's Caciotta) is a smooth, creamy cheese (texture similar to a Brie) made from cow and sheep's milk. Cacio de Fossa is aged in a cave from August-November. It ends up with a rough squareish shape and piquant taste. Brillo is a pecorino aged 4 months, then soaked in red wine for a month, absorbing the tastes and aroma of the wine, and ending up with a purple-red rind. This one smells (and tastes) amazing. Cacio de Bosco is one for those who love truffles. Other cheeses to try:  Burrata is sort of like a balloon of fresh mozzarella filled with cream and threads of mozzarella. Super creamy. Lots of companies make burrata, not just in Italy. Stracciatella is just the creamy filling from burrata; I had a customer who would buy a 1L tub every week. Sardo (not Pecorino Sardo) is a hard yellow cow's milk cheese from Argentina; not too strong, but flavourful. Moody Blue is a smoked blue cheese from Wisconsin. A bit of an unusual combination that works very well. Comedy option: Casu Marzu, a Sardinian pecorino known for its aging process using live cheese fly maggots.
|
#
¿
Apr 10, 2013 21:47
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 8, 2024 07:55 |
|