Italian cheeses are known worldwide as some of the best you can get. In America we love our pizza and our sandwiches, but they wouldn't be the same without the Italians and their cheeses. In fact, although most of us are quite familiar with three or four of the most common types of cheese they make, the fact is, there are about 400 varieties of cheeses they make.
From Sicily and from Tuscany, they make the best parmigiano and mozzarella going. Their provolone is beyond compare. They make so many different cheeses by mixing up the types of milk they use, and the processing methods. They utilize sheep milk, and goat milk, cow's milk, and buffalo. Their cheeses are known for their fragrance and great texture. They can be used for cooking or shredding alike.
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.
The Italians really have a passion for their cheese making. From way up in the Alpine mountains, they have refined their processes, and brought them down to a world that loves what they've done. In the old days they would go to the mountains and practice their craft. They had to use caves to keep their cheeses cool, because refrigeration was a pretty new concept.
They use the same types of tools today as they did back then. After all, if it works, then don't fix it. They use wooden shelves, salt, oil, water, cutting boards and small hammers. The three main ingredients that anyone needs in order to make a cheese, is salt, rennet, and milk. From here you can make all kinds of cheeses, and using different kinds of milk and processes, will produce different cheeses.
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.
Italian cheeses are known worldwide, yet many Americans go about their lives enjoying the fruits of Italian labor, without ever learning about the processes or history behind them. It's a very interesting subject for study. If you'd like to learn more about it, you're only a few mouse-clicks away. The internet is loaded with information about the Italians and their wonderful cheese. - 30543
From Sicily and from Tuscany, they make the best parmigiano and mozzarella going. Their provolone is beyond compare. They make so many different cheeses by mixing up the types of milk they use, and the processing methods. They utilize sheep milk, and goat milk, cow's milk, and buffalo. Their cheeses are known for their fragrance and great texture. They can be used for cooking or shredding alike.
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.
The Italians really have a passion for their cheese making. From way up in the Alpine mountains, they have refined their processes, and brought them down to a world that loves what they've done. In the old days they would go to the mountains and practice their craft. They had to use caves to keep their cheeses cool, because refrigeration was a pretty new concept.
They use the same types of tools today as they did back then. After all, if it works, then don't fix it. They use wooden shelves, salt, oil, water, cutting boards and small hammers. The three main ingredients that anyone needs in order to make a cheese, is salt, rennet, and milk. From here you can make all kinds of cheeses, and using different kinds of milk and processes, will produce different cheeses.
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.
Italian cheeses are known worldwide, yet many Americans go about their lives enjoying the fruits of Italian labor, without ever learning about the processes or history behind them. It's a very interesting subject for study. If you'd like to learn more about it, you're only a few mouse-clicks away. The internet is loaded with information about the Italians and their wonderful cheese. - 30543
About the Author:
Learn more about italian food. Stop by Luigi DeMarco's site where you can find out all about Italian cheeses and what it can do for you.
